Caecal intussusceptions in horses: a New Zealand perspective.

The research paper investigates the prevalence of a specific type of internal disorder in horses known as caecal intussusceptions. The study was conducted on horses admitted to a university hospital for colic conditions in New Zealand.

Research Study Overview

• The research is a retrospective clinical study, conducted by reviewing medical records of horses admitted to the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 1991 and 2004.
• The research focused on cases where horses were diagnosed with a specific internal disorder called caecal intussusceptions – a medical condition wherein a section of the intestine (the caecum, in this case) folds into another section of the intestine, similar to a telescope.
• The study aimed to determine the prevalence of such conditions in the horse population.
• All the cases were of horses which were admitted to the hospital due to colic conditions.

Results of the Study

• There were a total of 135 horses admitted for colic surgery during the study period, and 61 of them were diagnosed with various forms of caecal intussusceptions, including ileocaecal (37 cases), caecocaecal (5 cases), and caecocolic (19 cases) intussusceptions.
• Out of 37 horses with ileocaecal intussusception, 32 underwent incomplete hand-sewn ileocaecostomy without reduction and of these, 29 survived until discharge.
• All horses diagnosed with caecocaecal intussusceptions were identified preoperatively via a rectal examination or transabdominal ultrasound. Two of them were euthanised at surgery while three survived to discharge.
• There were 19 cases of caecocolic intussusceptions wherein manual reduction at surgery was done on 6 horses and 5 of them survived until discharged.

Key Conclusions of the Study

• The study found a high prevalence of caecal intussusceptions among the horses studied, suggesting that this condition might be more prevalent in New Zealand than in other parts of the world.
• Caecal intussusceptions was suggested as a possible diagnosis for horses presenting with symptoms of chronic low-grade colic.
• Transabdominal ultrasound was identified as a useful tool in diagnosing caecocaecal and caecocolic intussusceptions.
• The study found that an incomplete hand-sewn ileocaecostomy was a quick and effective surgical solution for cases of ileocaecal intussusceptions.