Prevalence and degree of orotracheal intubation-related tracheal lesions in horses

Background: Orotracheal intubation is commonly performed for inhalation anesthesia in horses to ensure safe and reliable administration of volatile anesthetics and to secure the airways. In human and equine medicine, the occurrence of intubation-associated complications has been described, which can range from mild mucosal irritation to severe necrosis. However, there are only sparse descriptions of mucosal alterations and the course of healing after elective surgery in horses.
Objective: To investigate the prevalemce and severity of tracheal lesions following endotracheal intubation associated with general anesthesia in equine patients.
Study design: Prospective, clinical study
Methods: Forty adult warmblood horses, weighing 400-600 kg, presented for elective surgery under general anesthesia were included. For orotracheal intubation a silicone tube was used and inflated until a cuff pressure of 40 cmH2O was confirmed. In all horses, endoscopic examination of the trachea with video docu..., Forty adult warmblood horses, weighing 400-600 kg, presented for elective surgery under general anesthesia were included. For orotracheal intubation a silicone tube was used and inflated until a cuff pressure of 40 cmH2O was confirmed. In all horses, endoscopic examination of the trachea with video documentation was performed prior to intubation and immediately after extubation as well as 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after general anesthesia. The type (redness, secretion, bleeding, erosions) and degree (0 = non-existent to 4 = severe) of corresponding lesions were assessed and scored. The occurrences of clinical signs were recorded. Statistical evaluation was performed using Friedman`s test and Pearson correlation., , # Prevalence and degree of orotracheal intubation-related tracheal lesions in horses

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3n5tb2rv6](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3n5tb2rv6)

## Description of the data and file structure

Prior to general anesthesia (0) as well as immediately after recovery (R) and 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after general anesthesia videoendoscopy of the trachea was performed with sedation. The videoendoscope was passed through the ventral meatus of the nasal passages, down the trachea to the carina and the images were recorded while moving the videoendoscope orally. Screenshots of the endoscopy included the 15 cm segment of the trachea where measurements indicated location of the distal end of the endotracheal tube as well as the cuff of the endotracheal tube. These pictures were then uploaded anonymized into a PowerPoint file in randomized order for offline analysis.

All pictures were analyzed by three different evaluators (ECVAA boarded anesthetist, ECEIM boarded internist, ECVS...