Sinonasal disease is challenging to treat, which is why some surgeons voluntarily choose to take a "second look" a few days after surgery to ensure nothing was initially overlooked.

"Surgery is often the treatment of choice and is usually performed by creating a flap, or 'window,' in the bone overlying the frontonasal (relating to both frontal and nasal bones) or maxillary sinuses," explained Samantha Hart, DVM, BVMS (Hons), MS, Dipl. ACVS, fellow in the department of clinical sciences at the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania.

Even still, access to the sinuses via the bone flap is limited, and the surgical field is often bloody, which can impair even the most talented surgeon when attempting to diagnose and treat sinus disease in the horse. 

Considering these surgical dilemmas, some surgeons elect to sedate the horse and reopen the sinus bone flaps to have a second look a few days after surgery