Ablation of the cricoarytenoid joint (CAJ) is a surgical technique used to minimize loss of arytenoid abduction following prosthetic laryngoplasty. Ablation of the CAJ can be accomplished with physical destruction of the articular cartilage/joint or with thermal ablation with the carbon dioxide laser (CO2). CAJ ablation should be combined with prosthetic laryngoplasty in all horses with recurrent laryngeal neuropathy to prevent postoperative loss of abduction. Prosthetic laryngoplasty is the most commonly performed surgical procedure to treat recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) in horses. The most common postoperative complication is loss of arytenoid abduction with most horses losing abduction within 6 weeks of laryngoplasty.1 To minimize postoperative loss of abduction ablation of the cricoarytenoid joint (CAJ) has been performed with mechanical destruction2 and with the carbon dioxide (C02) laser.3 The CAJ is one of two articulations of the larynx. The CAJ has three types of motion: gliding, rotational, and rocking.4"6 If movement from the CAJ could be prevented postoperative loss of arytenoid abduction may be eliminated. This presentation will concentrate on the currently available techniques for CAJ ablation in the horse.
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