Study compares two thrombectomy techniques for equine jugular clots
Bottom line
A randomized in vivo study in Equine Veterinary Journal compared two surgical approaches for chronic jugular thrombosis in horses: Fogarty catheter thrombectomy alone versus a combined Vollmar ring–Fogarty technique. In 10 horses with experimentally induced chronic jugular thrombosis, the combined approach removed more thrombus mass, but the Fogarty-only group had better sustained jugular vein patency 27 days after surgery, according to the study abstract. That distinction matters because mechanical clot removal and longer-term vessel function didn’t track in the same direction in this small trial. (scielo.br)
Why it matters: Jugular thrombophlebitis and thrombosis remain important complications in equine practice, especially around intravenous catheterization and intensive care, and they can be difficult to manage once thrombi become chronic or refractory to medical therapy. Prior reviews and clinical commentary describe surgery, including Fogarty thrombectomy, as an option when medical management fails, but they also note that restoring durable blood flow can be challenging and procedures may be complex or inconsistently effective. For veterinarians, this study adds a practical point: a technique that removes more clot intraoperatively may not necessarily deliver the best short-term lumen patency afterward. (pubs.aaep.org)
What to watch: Whether larger clinical studies in naturally occurring cases confirm that Fogarty-only thrombectomy offers a better balance of technical simplicity and lasting venous patency than the more aggressive combined approach. (scielo.br)
Key facts
- Study type
- Randomized in vivo study
- Journal
- Equine Veterinary Journal
- Condition
- Chronic jugular thrombosis in horses
- Sample size
- 10 horses
- Model
- Experimentally induced unilateral right jugular thrombosis
- Comparison
- Fogarty catheter thrombectomy alone vs. combined Vollmar ring–Fogarty technique
- Main finding
- Combined approach removed more thrombus mass
- Main finding
- Fogarty-only group had better sustained jugular vein patency at 27 days after surgery
A new Equine Veterinary Journal study puts two established thrombectomy strategies side by side in horses with chronic jugular thrombosis and finds a clinically relevant split between clot extraction and vessel outcome. In the randomized in vivo trial, the combined Vollmar ring–Fogarty technique removed more thrombus mass, but Fogarty thrombectomy alone produced better sustained luminal patency at 27 days post-op, based on the journal abstract. (scielo.br)
That question matters because jugular thrombophlebitis is a familiar, often iatrogenic problem in equine medicine, particularly in hospitalized horses and those requiring intravenous catheterization. Reviews and educational commentary describe it as a significant complication tied to endothelial injury, blood-flow stasis, hypercoagulability, catheter factors, infused substances, and systemic illness. When medical therapy doesn’t restore flow or when the thrombus becomes chronic and adherent, surgery may be considered, including thrombectomy with a Fogarty catheter or other reconstructive approaches. (pubs.aaep.org)
The new study appears to build on a longer research line from the same group. Additional indexed material and repository records describe the experimental model: 10 healthy horses were assigned to two groups after unilateral right jugular thrombosis was induced and allowed to mature for about 13 days before intervention. One group underwent Fogarty catheter thrombectomy alone, while the other received a Vollmar ring thrombectomy combined with Fogarty catheter passage. Related publications from the project also indicate the horses received postoperative anticoagulant support and serial follow-up, underscoring that the comparison was not just about immediate clot retrieval, but about what happened to the vein afterward. (scielo.br)
That helps explain why the headline result is useful for clinicians. The Vollmar-assisted approach seems to have been more aggressive mechanically, which may account for greater thrombus removal, but the Fogarty-only approach was associated with better patency at the 27-day mark. In practical terms, the study suggests that “more clot out” is not automatically the same as “better vessel function later,” at least in this experimental chronic-thrombus setting. Because the study included only 10 horses and used an induced model rather than naturally occurring field cases, the findings are best read as directional rather than definitive. (scielo.br)
Direct outside commentary on this specific paper was limited in the available web results, but the broader literature gives the result context. Reviews note that surgical restoration of jugular blood flow in horses has historically been difficult, and AAEP educational material has described thrombophlebitis as an undesirable complication seen regularly in practice. Case reports and small series also show that severe or septic jugular thrombophlebitis can carry meaningful morbidity and may require standing surgical intervention when conservative care fails. (pubs.aaep.org)
Why it matters: For equine veterinarians, the study sharpens decision-making around chronic jugular thrombosis, where the treatment goal is not simply debulking a thrombus, but preserving or restoring usable venous drainage. That’s especially relevant in referral and surgical settings, where jugular access is critical and thrombosis can complicate ongoing care, head drainage, future catheter placement, and overall prognosis. The paper also reinforces the value of postoperative monitoring with ultrasonography and a focus on functional patency, not just intraoperative appearance. (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
The findings may also resonate beyond this single procedure comparison. Recent equine reports continue to document catheter-associated septic thrombophlebitis and other jugular complications, while newer interventional approaches such as angioplasty for jugular stenosis and extracorporeal thrombus-removal concepts have been explored in select settings. Against that backdrop, even small comparative data on established thrombectomy techniques can help clinicians choose the least traumatic option that still achieves a durable result. (bvajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
What to watch: The next step is validation in larger cohorts and naturally occurring clinical cases, ideally with longer follow-up and standardized imaging endpoints, to determine whether Fogarty-only thrombectomy consistently outperforms the combined Vollmar–Fogarty method on meaningful long-term patency and complication rates. (scielo.br)