Anesthesia and analgesia for standing equine surgery.
Abstract: Morbidity and mortality rate in equine anesthesia is still unacceptably high. Thus it is critical contemplating whether the benefit of general anesthesia for a specific patient and procedure outweighs the risks. Sedative protocols that would allow performing diagnostic and surgical procedures with the patient remaining standing would therefore be ideal. Infusion of short-acting agents allows to rapidly achieve a titratable steady state of sedation. Supplementing sedatives and tranquilizers with systemic analgesic or regional anesthetic techniques (i.e. epidurals) facilitates standing surgical procedures. Multimodal analgesia would also provide superior analgesia with potentially fewer side effects than a single agent approach.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2013-12-31 PubMed ID: 24680204DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2013.11.008Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article discusses the potential benefits and complications of using anesthesia and analgesia for surgeries on horses that are in a standing position. The study underlines the need for safer, more effective protocols given the existing high morbidity and mortality rate in equine anesthesia.
Key Aim of the Research
- The primary objective of this study is to consider the risks and benefits of general anesthesia for equine patients in relation to specific procedures. With the high risks associated with anesthesia in horses, the research explores whether sedative protocols can be designed to perform surgeries while the patient is standing, thus potentially reducing risks.
Sedation Techniques
- The paper discusses infusion of short-acting agents as a method to quickly achieve a titratable steady state of sedation. This means using medicines that act quickly and allow the level of sedation to be easily adjusted as required by the operation.
Anesthetic and Analgesic Approaches
- The research highlight that combining sedatives and tranquilizers with systemic analgesic or regional anesthetic techniques (meaning those that target a specific region of the body, like epidurals) can actually facilitate standing surgical procedures.
Multimodal Analgesia
- The research proposes the use of multimodal analgesia. This technique uses multiple types of pain relievers to achieve superior analgesia with potentially fewer side effects than if a single agent were used. In essence, a multimodal approach could safely mitigate the risk of equine surgeries under sedation and provide a solution to the problem of high morbidity and mortality rate involved in equine anesthesia.
Cite This Article
APA
Vigani A, Garcia-Pereira FL.
(2013).
Anesthesia and analgesia for standing equine surgery.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 30(1), 1-17.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2013.11.008 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 Southwest 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA. Electronic address: alessio.vigani@gmail.com.
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, 2015 Southwest 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Agonists / therapeutic use
- Analgesia / methods
- Analgesia / veterinary
- Anesthesia, General / methods
- Anesthesia, General / veterinary
- Animals
- Female
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses / surgery
- Pain Management / veterinary
- Pain, Postoperative / drug therapy
- Pain, Postoperative / prevention & control
- Pain, Postoperative / veterinary
- Pregnancy
- Surgical Procedures, Operative / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 11 times.- Medina-Bautista F, Morgaz J, Quirós-Carmona S, Caravaca-Paredes ME, Navarrete-Calvo R, Medina ALS, Gómez-Villamandos R, Granados MDM. Effect of a Constant Rate Infusion of Ketamine on a Variable Rate Infusion of Xylazine in Standing Horses Undergoing Ventriculocordectomy and Laryngoplasty. Vet Sci 2026 Jan 12;13(1).
- Thorn CA, Wilson DV, Wang S, Horne WA. Impact of sequential administration of detomidine, butorphanol, and midazolam on sedation, ataxia, stimulus response, and bispectral index in horses. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1691137.
- Nocera I, Moroni R, Fanelli D, Rota A, Di Franco C, Ungari C, Puccinelli C, Gandini M, Giusto G, Vannozzi I. Cryptorchidism in Equid: A Retrospective Study on Diagnostic Approach, Anaesthesia Management, Surgical Treatment and Outcomes. Animals (Basel) 2025 Oct 9;15(19).
- Gomes ÉR, Felix LA, Gonzaga LWF, da Silva NFD, Soares BCF, de Almeida JVFC, Souza GP, Pereira RN, Taffarel MO, Ferrante M. Sedative effects of detomidine and midazolam combination in horses. Open Vet J 2025;15(7):2938-2947.
- Baltrimaite M, Kearney C, O'Brien A, Duggan M, Cuq B. Treatment of a urethral stricture by image-guided placement of a custom-made absorbable stent in a standing, sedated horse. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Sep-Oct;38(5):2795-2800.
- Giambrone G, Catone G, Marino G, Gugliandolo E, Miloro R, Vullo C. Loco-Regional Anaesthesia during Standing Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Equids: A Systematic Review (2003-2023) of the Literature. Animals (Basel) 2024 Aug 8;14(16).
- Vullo C, Gugliandolo E, Biondi V, Biffarella M, Catone G, Tambella AM. Comparison of Detomidine or Romifidine in Combination with Morphine for Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Horses. Vet Sci 2024 Mar 8;11(3).
- Lean NE, Sole-Guitart A, Ahern BJ. Laryngeal tie-forward in standing sedated horses. Vet Surg 2023 Feb;52(2):229-237.
- Straticò P, Guerri G, Palozzo A, Varasano V, Petrizzi L. Current Use of Equine Laparoscopy in Urogenital Disorders: A Scoping Review of the Literature from 2000 to 2021. Vet Sci 2022 Jan 22;9(2).
- Vullo C, Tambella AM, Meligrana M, Catone G. Analgesic and Sedative Effects of Epidural Lidocaine-Xylazine in Elective Bilateral Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Standing Mule Mares. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 17;11(8).
- de Oliveira MGC, Luna SPL, Nunes TL, Firmino PR, de Lima AGA, Ferreira J, Trindade PHE, Júnior RAB, de Paula VV. Post-operative pain behaviour associated with surgical castration in donkeys (Equus asinus). Equine Vet J 2021 Mar;53(2):261-266.
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