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Topic:Post-Operative Period
The post-operative period in horses refers to the timeframe following surgical procedures during which the animal undergoes recovery and rehabilitation. This period involves careful monitoring and management to ensure proper healing and to minimize complications. Key aspects of the post-operative period include pain management, wound care, and the prevention of infections. Horses may require restricted movement, dietary adjustments, and regular veterinary evaluations to assess recovery progress. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the management strategies, physiological responses, and outcomes associated with the post-operative period in equine patients.
Use of a linear stapling device to construct an inverted, triangulated, end-to-end anastomosis of the equine jejunum. An inverting, triangulated, stapled, end-to-end anastomosis technique was evaluated in the jejunum of four horses. None of the horses showed evidence of gastrointestinal disturbance after surgery; however, stricture and adhesion formation were pronounced in three animals examined 10 days, one month, and two months after surgery. The animal examined four months after surgery had no adhesions present at the anastomosis, and only mild narrowing of the intestinal lumen. Histologic examination of the anastomoses showed lack of a normal mucosal lining in some examined sections up to two months posts...
Silicone ocular prosthesis in horses: 11 cases (1983-1987). Horses experience a number of ophthalmic diseases and injuries that may result in loss of function of the eye. In the treatment of end-stage ophthalmic disease or injury that precludes salvage of the eye, the use of an inert, silicone prosthetic implant is a cosmetic alternative to simple enucleation. Eleven horses treated either by enucleation and insertion of an intraorbital prosthesis (n = 9) or by evisceration and insertion of an intraocular prosthesis (n = 2) were evaluated for postoperative complications and for long-term cosmetic results. Of the 11 horses treated, complication rate was ...
Rectal packing as initial management of grade 3 rectal tears. Grade 3 rectal tears were created in 14 horses. Epidural anaesthesia was maintained in all horses for 8 h post injury. In seven horses with cotton filled stockinette packing the rectum, neither gross faecal contamination nor progression of the rectal tear occurred. Seven horses without rectal packing developed faecal contamination of the rectal tear with formation of a faeces filled serosal or mesorectal diverticulum.
Ultrasonographic evaluation of the healing of ventral midline abdominal incisions in the horse. Ultrasonography was used to evaluate the ventral midline incisions of 21 ponies following exploratory laparotomy. The incisions were evaluated before surgery and at weekly intervals from one to seven weeks after surgery. Both 5.0 and 7.5 MHz linear array and 7.5 MHz sector transducers were used for the evaluations. The incisional complications observed were drainage, oedema, suture sinus formation, suture abscess, superficial dehiscence and incisional hernia. Ultrasonographic imaging of the ventral midline incision was an easy, reliable and objective method for detecting and monitoring the pro...
Cisapride in the prophylaxis of equine post operative ileus. Cisapride and domperidone were both effective in restoring electrical and mechanical activity, coordination between gastric and small intestinal activity cycles and the stomach to anus transit time in three ponies in which post operative ileus was induced experimentally. Cisapride (0.1 mg/kg bodyweight intramuscularly) for three to eight doses prevented idiopathic post operative ileus in 22 clinical cases requiring colic surgery. The only side effects after cisapride were increased bowel sounds and slight, transient sounds of discomfort. No adverse side effects were seen in 16 cases following ...
Correlative morphometry and morphology of normal equine intestinal mucosa and comparison after adaptation to extensive large colon resection. Light microscopy, morphometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to examine the mucosal morphology of seven intestinal specimens (three from the small intestine and four from the large intestine) from two horses not subjected to surgery and three horses one year after sham-operation for colon resection. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation revealed similar morphology for all horses except that the unoperated horses had significantly (P < 0.05) fewer goblet cells in the crypts of the large intestine. In the small intestine, SEM demonstrated that villus shape varied and range...
The in vivo biodynamic properties of the intact equine linea alba. Liquid metal strain gauges (LMSG) were implanted surgically at three locations on the intact linea alba (LA) in eight horses. LA strain, strain rate, change in strain and stress were recorded during general anaesthesia, recovery from anaesthesia, standing, vocalisation, rectal palpation and at the walk, trot and canter. LA stress was quantitated using an in vitro tensiometric technique. Stress-strain responses differed significantly (P < 0.05) with location, but each described a characteristic relationship for viscoelastic tissues. Maximum peak stress, peak strain and change in strain occur...
A retrospective survey of anaesthesia in horses with colic. The purpose of this survey was to identify complications occurring in horses with colic during anaesthesia and recovery from anaesthesia; and to determine any relationships between these complications and drugs used for induction or maintenance of anaesthesia. Two hundred and thirty nine horses were anaesthetised on a total of 250 occasions for colic surgery between January 1985 and May 1987. Of these, 189 recovered from 200 anaesthetic episodes. Most horses received xylazine and guaifenesin with either thiobarbiturate (68 per cent) or ketamine (24 per cent) and anaesthesia was maintained with...
Antagonism of endotoxin-induced disruption of equine bowel motility by flunixin and phenylbutazone. Post operative ileus is a serious complication of abdominal surgery in horses and there is evidence that endotoxin plays a significant role in its pathogenesis. Pre-treatment with intravenous (i.v.) flunixin (1.1 mg/kg bodyweight [bwt]) or phenylbutazone (4.4 mg/kg bwt) significantly antagonised the acute disruption of gastric, small intestinal and large intestinal motility induced by 0.1 microgram/kg bwt i.v. endotoxin in ponies implanted with gastrointestinal strain gauges. Phenylbutazone was more effective than flunixin and this was significant (P < 0.01) for the stomach and left dorsal ...
The effect of low dose heparin therapy on complication and survival rates in horses following exploratory celiotomy. A randomised, blind prospective study was performed to evaluate effects of low dose heparin therapy on complication and survival rates in 33 horses following exploratory celiotomy. Four horses had non-strangulating lesions and seven had strangulating lesions of the small intestine, 19 had non-strangulating lesions of the large intestine, and three had duodenitis-proximal jejunitis. Eighteen required an enterotomy or intestinal resection and anastomosis. Sixteen received heparin subcutaneously (66 iu/kg every 12 h) post operatively and 17 received a saline placebo for a mean of 3.7 days. There ...
[A comparison of suturing and non-suturing of scrotal wounds following castration in stallions]. It was found that wound infections may be considerably reduced when castration is carried out under strictly aseptic conditions. In this clinical review, healing of the wound following castration with and without closure of the scrotal wounds is compared. All castrations were performed under similar aseptic conditions, general anaesthesia having been produced in the recumbent stallion. The results do not show that there is a significant difference in the appearance of wound infections in scrotal wounds which are closed and those which are left completely open. On the basis of both papers and t...
Rectal tears in the horse: an analysis of 35 cases. The records of 35 horses with Grade 3 or 4 rectal tears, presented to the Veterinary Medical Center at Texas A & M University over a five year period, were reviewed. Grade 3 tears were sub-classified according to whether the remaining tissue was serosa (Grade 3a) or mesorectum (Grade 3b). Five horses were destroyed on presentation and 30 were treated by primary suture closure (8 horses), faecal diversion alone (9 horses) or in combination with suture closure (11 horses) and packing of the tear with medicated gauze sponges (two horses). Faecal diversion was achieved with a temporary indwell...
Synovial hernia as a possible complication of arthroscopic surgery in a horse. A 3-year-old Standardbred gelding was referred for evaluation of a fluctuant swelling that developed over the dorsum of the carpus subsequent to arthroscopic surgery on that carpus. A synovial hernia was diagnosed and surgically repaired. Although complications secondary to arthroscopy are rare, synovial herniation can develop after arthroscopic surgery. The condition must be differentiated from the more common true bursitis or false bursitis that is commonly referred to as a hygroma.
Attempts to restore abduction of the paralyzed equine arytenoid cartilage. III. Nerve anastomosis. The purpose of this project was to attempt restoration of abduction of a recently denervated left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle in the horse by anastomosing the first cervical nerve to the abductor branch of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. Ten horses were used in the study. In six horses the left recurrent laryngeal nerve was transected and ligated while the ventral branch of the left first cervical nerve was anastomosed to the abductor branch of the left recurrent laryngeal nerve. The remaining four horses also had the left recurrent laryngeal nerve transected and ligated but had no nerve ...
Attempts to restore abduction of the paralyzed equine arytenoid cartilage. II. Nerve implantation (pilot study). The purpose of this project was to attempt restoration of abduction of a recently experimentally denervated left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle by implanting a transected nerve-end into the paralyzed muscle. In six ponies the cut end of the second cervical nerve was implanted into a slit made in the left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle. The nerve end was secured in place with one 5-0 polypropylene suture connecting the epineurium to the epimysium. The left recurrent laryngeal nerve was transected during this procedure. All six ponies showed signs of complete left laryngeal hemiplegia immediately af...
Attempts to restore abduction of the paralyzed equine arytenoid cartilage. I. Nerve-muscle pedicle transplants. The purpose of this project was to adapt a surgical technique from humans and dogs to horses in which a portion of an accessory muscle of respiration and its nerve supply is transplanted to a denervated dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle. Anatomical dissections in seven horses revealed two possible donor nerve-pedicle grafts: the omohyoid and the sternothyrohyoid, both innervated by a branch of the first and second cervical nerves. Histochemical evaluations in two ponies of the dorsal cricoarytenoid, omohyoid and sternothyrohyoid muscles revealed similar proportions of fiber types 1 and 2 in all thr...
Surgical removal of one conceptus from fifteen mares with twin concepti. A surgical technique for removal of one conceptus from mares with twin concepti more than 35 days of gestational age was evaluated. One conceptus was removed surgically from each of 15 mares carrying twin concepti that were 41 to 65 days of gestational age. As determined by ultrasonography, eight mares had bicornuate and seven mares had unicornuate twin concepti. For maintenance of pregnancy if surgical trauma should cause prostaglandin release and luteolysis, progesterone was administered prophylactically. Flunixin meglumine was administered perioperatively to minimize prostaglandin release. ...
Induction of equine postanesthetic myositis after halothane-induced hypotension. Wick catheters were used to measure intracompartmental pressures of the extensor carpi radialis muscles and long heads of the triceps brachii muscles of 7 horses maintained under halothane anesthesia during controlled ventilation. Horses were positioned in left lateral recumbency on a water bed for 4 hours. Using a crossover design, 6 of the 7 horses were subjected to normotensive and hypotensive anesthesia on separate occasions. Hypotension was achieved by increasing the inspired halothane concentration. Hematologic and biochemical measurements were determined at designated intervals before, ...
Effect of subchondral drilling on repair of partial-thickness cartilage defects of third carpal bones in horses. Arthrotomies of middle carpal joints were done on 13 horses, and a 1-cm partial thickness, round defect was made on the radial facet of both third carpal bones. In one joint, 1-mm diameter 1-cm deep holes were drilled within the defect, and one joint was used as a control. horses were assigned to 2 groups--group 1 (n = 6 horses), 5 drill holes; group 2 (n = 7 horses), 11 drill holes. At 1 and 3 weeks after surgery, differences between joints in synovial fluid total protein values, WBC counts, or results of mucin precipitate tests were not significant (P = 0.005). Physically and radiographicall...
Hepaticojejunostomy for treatment of common hepatic duct obstructions associated with duodenal stenosis in two foals. Two female Standardbred foals 2 and 3 months of age were presented with signs of gastroduodenal obstruction that was confirmed with contrast radiography and exploratory surgery. Ventral midline celiotomy was performed, showing stenosis of the duodenum proximal and distal to the hepatopancreatic ampulla. The common hepatic duct, the pancreatic duct, and the sigmoid section of the duodenum proximal to the stenosis were greatly dilated. To bypass the intestinal obstruction, a side-to-side duodenojejunostomy was performed. Obstruction of the common hepatic duct was relieved by side-to-side hepatic...
Long-term follow-up of partial limb amputation in 13 horses. Thirteen cases of partial limb amputation in horses were reviewed. Nine horses (69%) survived 18 to 111 months (mean, 41 months). Four unsuccessfully treated horses were euthanatized within 21 days of surgery. The horses' ages at amputation were 4 to 13 years (mean, 7.3 years). There was no predilection for the left or right limb nor for fore or hind limb involvement. Osteomyelitis in six horses (46%) was the most common cause for amputation. Severe, open, comminuted fractures of the third metacarpal bone that were impossible to stabilize by any currently available technique in four horses (31...
Surgical treatment of sand colic. Results in 40 horses. A retrospective study of 40 horses that underwent surgical treatment for sand colic was performed. Three horses were euthanatized and one died during surgery. Of the 36 horses that recovered from anesthesia, five died before discharge from the hospital and seven died after discharge. Twenty-four horses survived at least 12 months. Sand impaction of the right dorsal colon was present in 26 horses. In addition to sand impaction, 10 horses also had colonic displacement or volvulus.
Evaluation of two techniques for large intestinal resection and anastomosis in the horse. Six normal adult horses had large colon resections at the sternal and diaphragmatic flexures. Stainless steel staples were used to close the stumps of the dorsal and ventral colons in all six. Intestinal continuity was restored with a side-to-side anastomosis of the dorsal and ventral colons. Three of these anastomoses were performed with staples, and three with a double inverting suture pattern. After one month, the horses were surgically reevaluated, and the anastomotic sites were examined. There was no significant difference between the stoma sizes in the two groups. No complications were o...
Ileal impaction in the horse: 75 cases. Records of 75 horses with ileal impactions were examined retrospectively. There was a sex predilection towards mares. Arabians were over-represented compared to the hospital population. The average age was 8.3 years. Abdominal pain was observed in 96% of horses. Nasogastric reflux was present in 56% of horses, small intestinal distention was found on rectal palpation in 96% and an ileal impaction in 25%. Exploratory celiotomy was performed in 69 horses, the mass was reduced by extramural massage in 67 horses, and ingesta was removed via enterotomy in 2. Jejunocecostomies were performed in 47 h...
Occlusion of the external carotid and maxillary arteries in the horse to prevent hemorrhage from guttural pouch mycosis. Balloon-tipped catheters were used to occlude the external carotid artery and its branches in nine horses with hemorrhage caused by guttural pouch mycosis. The internal carotid artery on the affected side was occluded simultaneously in four horses and had been occluded previously in two others. In three horses, a single balloon-tipped catheter was inserted in the external carotid artery beneath the floor of the guttural pouch and its tip was advanced blindly into distal branches. In one horse, the superficial temporal artery was occluded briefly during surgery by a balloon-tipped catheter so a...
Alleviation of postanesthetic hypoxemia in the horse. This study was designed to investigate the effect of the nasotracheal insufflation of oxygen at a flow rate of 15 L/min on the arterial partial pressure of oxygen during the recovery period following inhalation anesthesia in the horse. It has been stated that this is a suitable flow rate to prevent postoperative hypoxemia but without any experimental evidence to support those statements. Horses being used for the study of healing of cartilage were anesthetized on two separate occasions. Following one period of anesthesia they were allowed to recover breathing room air, and following the other ...
Surgical treatment of sand colic in equids: 48 cases (1978-1985). Medical records of 48 equids (47 horses, 1 pony) with surgical sand colic were reviewed. The diagnosis of sand colic was made if a sand impaction(s) was palpated during exploratory abdominal surgery or if a large quantity of sand was found during colotomy. Most equids did not experience a previous episode of sand diarrhea or sand colic. Clinical findings and results of clinicopathologic determinations were not diagnostic. Rectal palpation findings in 40 of 46 horses were compatible with large-colon and/or cecal distention. Impactions were palpable per rectum in only 7 horses, but emergency abd...
Ovariectomy, ovariohysterectomy, and cesarean section in mares. Ovariectomy and cesarean section are relatively common procedures in a surgical practice in an area in which there are numerous broodmares. Both techniques can be performed by several approaches, which are described in this article. Also described are techniques for ovariohysterectomy, a procedure that is rarely indicated, but that can be performed relatively easily by a capable surgeon.
Surgical management of foaling injuries. The great variety of pathologic conditions associated with the peripartum period in the mare emphasizes the need for close observation and evaluation of the mare's condition during this period. The temperament and strength of the mare and violence of parturition undoubtedly produce extreme intraabdominal pressures that result in (or enhance preexisting) pathologic changes. Although the exact etiology of many of these disease processes is unknown, careful observation with properly timed medical and/or surgical intervention could reduce the losses associated with the peripartum period.
