The use of fibre-optic techniques in clinical diagnosis and visual assessment of experimental intrauterine therapy in mares.

Intrauterine fibroscopy was used in the clinical evaluation of 40 mares with established histories of subfertility. The average age of the mares was 12.2 years with a 2.8-year interval from last foaling in multiparous mares. Transluminal adhesions, endometrial cysts, diffuse fibrosis, fluid accumulation or myometrial tumours were found in 26 mares. When compared to other techniques, fibroscopy did not seem to be superior to uterine biopsy but had some advantage over rectal palpation as a single diagnostic technique. Only 3 mares failed to exhibit pathological findings when all 3 techniques were used. A second study was conducted to examine visually the effect of infusing various antibiotics and disinfectants into the uteri of clinically normal dioestrous mares. Fibre-optic examinations were performed before and after infusion of 3 mares/treatment. No gross pathological changes were seen 3 days after infusion of potassium penicillin, chloramphenicol succinate or a soluble oxytetracycline powder in a dextrose base. Lugol's solution caused severe inflammation, fibrin deposition, and ulceration of the endometrium. Ampicillin resulted in a white precipitate which adhered to the the endometrium for 10 days after treatment.