Avaliações clínica, ultra-sonográfica e por toracoscopia de eqüinos submetidos à ressecção pulmonar parcial por toracoscopia com o auxílio de sutura mecânica

Thoracoscopy is a method that alIows the visualization ofthe thoracic cavity, and is employed as an auxiliary tool for the diagnosis of pleural and pulmonary diseases. This study focused on post-operative evaluation of horses submitted to resection of the dorsocaudal portion of the left caudal pulmonary lobe by means of mechanical suturing performed through thoracoscopy. Ten healthy horses, eight males and two females, of different ages, breeds and weight ranges, were used in this study. These animals were evaluated physical examination, hemogram, plasma fibrinogen and ultrasonography. The resection site was also evaluated 30 days after the initial procedure by a second thoracoscopy. The horses presented an adequate recovery, except the animal 5 that developed acute abdominal disease and died. The physical examination were kept within normal interval during all period. The laboratories exams didn't show results with statistical significance when comparing different moments, except the plasma fibrinogen that increased after surgery but values within normal interval. The ultrasound exam suggested pleural irregularity, thickness and decrease of lung movement in some post operative moments. The local scaring, observed by thoracoscopy, showed to be appropriate with few local fibrins and without adhesion. The small post operative changes observed in the results alIow to affirm that pulmonary resection by thoracoscopy in horses is able to performed, keeping the animals in their function.