Surgical Services

Surgery is often indicated for treatment of many causes of poor performance. Cave Creek Equine Surgical & Diagnostic Imaging Center devotes a great deal of time to minimally invasive surgery such as arthroscopic, laparoscopic, and endoscopic surgeries.

Stem Cell Therapy
Cave Creek Equine Surgical Center provides services that concentrate Stem Cells from a small sample of an animal’s own fat for treating tendons, ligaments, joints, and fractures in performance horses. Some of the most devastating injuries and diseases of performance horses are now treatable with one of the newest technologies using stem cell therapy.
www.vet-stem.com

Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is minimally invasive camera-assisted surgery in joints, bursa, or tendon sheaths. It is used to remove bone chips, treat OCD, or to address joint or tendon sheath infections. It is also used as a diagnostic tool in areas that can not be seen with any other imaging modality, such as damage to the cruciate ligaments, menisci, or articular cartilage of the stifle; or to examine the frontal and maxillary sinuses of the head of the horse.

Orthopedic Surgery
Many fractures can now be repaired in horses. Our clinic offers exceptional treatment methods. Most fractures can be repaired by internal fixation using bone screws and plates. Many orthopedic surgeries which previously required large, very invasive and traumatic incisions, are now performed through tiny stab incisions. These small incisions heal faster, cause less tissue damage, and are less painful for the horse.

Soft Tissue Surgery
Examples of soft tissue surgeries performed include repair of wounds, revision of scars, tumor removal, and some surgeries of the eye.

Laparoscopy
Laparoscopy utilizes camera-assisted technology to provide minimally invasive surgery in the thorax or abdomen of the horse. We most commonly use this for removal of intra-abdominal cryptorchid testicles or ovaries. It minimizes the pain associated with the procedure, decreases the chances of post-operative complications, and allows a faster return to training or work.

Laser Assisted Surgery
The diode laser beam is transmitted through a small, flexible, glass fiber that can be passed through the endoscope. Almost anywhere the endoscope can be inserted, laser-assisted surgery can be performed. The diode laser can also be used to remove skin tumors and masses.

Respiratory & Upper Airway Surgery
Conditions such as entrapped epiglottis, laryngeal paralysis (roarer, paralyzed flapper), subepiglottic cyst, intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate, arytenoidchondritis, and many more conditions can be treated by various methods of surgery.