Guttural Pouch Anatomy

The condition guttural pouch tympa.

Guttural pouch anatomy.

Adjacent to the thin lining of the guttural pouch note the thin stylohyoid bone that divides the pouch into a small lateral compartment and a larger medial compartment. Guttural pouches are of interest to both veterinarians and horse owners as they contain a number of important structures. The guttural pouch is a structure found only in equine species. Endoscopic anatomy of a normal guttural pouch.

Guttural pouch empyema is defined as the accumulation of purulent septic exudate in the guttural pouch. Due to the general inaccessibility of the pouches in horses they can be an area of infection by fungi and bacteria and these infections can be extremely severe and hard to treat. Palm beach equine clinic wellington florida usa. There are two guttural pouches one on each side that are located just below the ear in the throatlatch region figure 1.

They are present in odd toed mammals some bats hyraxes and the american forest mouse. The equine guttural pouch. The guttural pouch is a unique structure found in horses and only a few other species. They are paired bilaterally just below the ears behind the skull and connect to the nasopharynx.

Empyema of guttural pouch horse radiograph courtesy of dr. Guttural pouches are paired extensions of the eustachian tubes that connect the pharynx to the middle ear. It is an extension of the eustachian tube which is an air filled canal that connects the throat to the middle ear. 1 they are found in perissodactyls such as equids tapirs some species of rhinoceros except for the white rhinoceros some bats a south american forest mouse and hyraxes.

It is an outpouching of the eustachian tube the tube that connects the ears to the nose and mouth and helps to regulate air pressure. The medial compartment is on the left side of the image. This communication with the throat allows the important nerves and arteries to come into contact with potential pathogens in the form of bacteria and fungi. Clinically relevant anatomy and basic treatment options for trauma.

Guttural pouch empyema in horses. The guttural pouches have important anatomical relationships with other neighboring structures particularly the retropharyngeal lymph node vascular and nervous elements. Guttural pouches are large auditory tube diverticula that contain between 300 and 600 ml of air. The infection usually develops subsequent to a bacterial primarily streptococcus spp infection of the upper respiratory tract.