05/29/2026
PIONEERING SURGERY AT VIZION EQUINE SPORTS MEDICINE AND SURGERY
We are thrilled to unveil a game-changing advancement in equine sports medicine. We are now offering Equine Percutaneous Cervical Foraminotomy—a cutting-edge, minimally invasive spine surgery that is currently only performed in a handful of practices across the United States! Vetwerx is partnering with us to provide required CT imaging to accurately diagnose problem sites.
If your horse has struggled with unexplained forelimb lameness or severe neck pain, this breakthrough procedure could be the answer.
🔍 The Problem: Foraminal Stenosis
The Cause: Osteoarthritis or bone spurs forming in the lower neck joints.
The Mechanism: This excess bone growth narrows the "foramen"—the tiny bony tunnel where crucial spinal nerves exit.
The Symptoms: The nerve root gets pinched, causing agonizing cervical radiculopathy (shooting nerve pain) that drastically impacts movement, behavior, and performance.
🔬 The Innovation: Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Surgery
Instead of traditional, highly invasive open surgery, this procedure uses a state-of-the-art uniportal endoscope under general anesthesia.
Through a tiny incision, the surgeon utilizes radiofrequency ablation and specialized micro-burrs to carefully shave away the compressing bone.
This precisely relieves the pressure on the nerve while completely protecting the adjacent vertebral artery.
The Result? Minimal tissue damage, less downtime, and faster healing.
📊 Incredible Success Rates & Proven Results
This advanced technique boasts a remarkably high success rate for relieving debilitating cervical pain and forelimb lameness:
~80% of horses show significant clinical improvement.
74% successfully return to full athletic work!
🐴 Seamless Continuity of Care: From Diagnosis to Rehab
By pooling our resources, we've created a seamless pipeline to get your horse back to peak performance:
1 Advanced Imaging (CT): Performed at Vetwerx
2 Precision Surgery: Performed by Dr. Josh Zacharias at Vizion Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery
3 Rehabilitation: After a short 2–3 day hospital stay, the horse moves into a structured rehab program.
We are incredibly proud to bring this level of specialized, world-class spinal care to our equine community.
📈 Want to learn more about how this procedure can save your horse's career? Drop a comment below or send us a DM to connect with our veterinary team!
