TRANSENDOSCOPIC BIOPSY OF THE HORSES AIRWAY MUCOSA

Transtracheal wash and bronchoalveolar lavage are diagnostic technique s that have been adopted from human medicine for monitoring inflammato ry changes in the airway of the horse. Transendoscopic biopsy has also proven to be a valuable tool for obtaining samples of the airway muco sa in human patients. A transendoscopic technique was developed in thi s study for obtaining a respiratory mucosal biopsy from standing, seda ted horses, Six normal adult horses were sampled at eight-week interva ls for a total of three sample periods. Horses were monitored for adve rse effects of the technique and none were noted. Sample sites were co mpletely healed after eight weeks with no gross or histologic abnormal ities. Biopsy samples were 3 to 4 millimeters in diameter, and 17 of 1 8 samples provided interpretable histological sections. Methods for ha ndling, staining and evaluating tissue were also developed. The result s of this study demonstrated that airway mucosal biopsy is a safe, rep eatable technique that can be performed in the sedated, standing horse .