Cyst of the guttural pouch in a foal: a case report

Although cysts can occur anywhere in the equine upper airway, cysts of the guttural pouch are rare. The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic procedure and surgical treatment of a guttural pouch cyst in a 16-day old Warmblood foal presenting with dysphagia. Endoscopic examination revealed a cyst protruding into the pharyngeal vault which was causing dysfunction of the pharynx and subsequent dysphagia. Surgical drainage in the pharynx was established by a transendoscopic fenestration of the cyst using a diode laser. The foal presented resolution of dysphagia and no recurrence 12 months following treatment. Foals with persistent dysphagia should receive a through endoscopic examination of the upper airways including the guttural pouches. In this case, the diagnosis and the surgical treatment of a guttural pouch canal cyst were successfully performed using a minimally invasive endoscopic approach.