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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Surg / Comparison between head-tail-rope assisted and unassisted re...
Veterinary surgery : VS2019; 49(2); 329-338; doi: 10.1111/vsu.13347

Comparison between head-tail-rope assisted and unassisted recoveries in healthy horses undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgeries.

Abstract: To compare attempts to stand, duration, quality, and occurrence of injuries between head-tail rope assistance and unassisted recoveries in healthy horses undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgeries. Methods: Randomized, prospective, clinical trial. Methods: Three hundred one healthy horses undergoing elective surgeries were randomly assigned to recover with head-tail rope assistance (group A) or unassisted (group U); 305 recoveries (group A, n = 154; group U, n = 151) were analyzed. Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane and triple drip. For each recovery, attempts to stand, duration, quality, and recovery-associated injuries were recorded. Data were analyzed by linear regression and analysis of covariance. Results: Anesthesia duration was similar between groups (mean ± SD, 70 ± 29 minutes). Compared with group U, group A had fewer attempts to stand (median [range], group A = 1 [1-7] vs group U = 3 [1-34]) and shorter duration of recovery (mean ± SD, A = 36 ± 12 minutes vs U = 41 ± 15 minutes). Recovery quality in group A (28 points [15-70]) was better than that in group U (38 points [11-87]). More horses had recovery-associated injuries in group U (9 horses) compared with group A (2 horses). One horse per group was euthanized. Conclusions: Head-tail rope assistance reduced standing attempts, shortened recovery duration, improved recovery quality, and reduced recovery-associated minor injuries after general anesthesia for elective surgery in healthy horses. Fatalities could not be prevented. Conclusions: Head-tail rope assistance may improve recovery in healthy horses after short-duration elective surgeries with isoflurane and triple drip.
© 2019 The Authors. Veterinary Surgery published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
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Publication Date: 2019-11-09 PubMed ID: 31705685DOI: 10.1111/vsu.13347Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research study explores the potential benefits of using head-tail rope assistance during the recovery of horses from general anesthesia following elective surgeries. The study found that such assistance led to fewer attempts to stand, shorter recovery duration, better recovery quality, and reduced minor injuries compared to unassisted recovery.

Objective and Methodology

  • The main objective of the study was to compare unaided recovery with that supported by head-tail rope assistance in healthy horses post elective surgeries under general anesthesia.
  • 301 horses were assigned to two groups for recovery: group A received head-tail rope assistance, while group U recovered unassisted.
  • A total of 305 recoveries were analyzed—with the number of attempts to stand, duration of recovery, quality of recovery and occurrence of any injuries during recovery being recorded.
  • Anesthesia for surgeries was maintained using isoflurane and triple drip, and the researchers analyzed data via linear regression and analysis of covariance.

Results

  • The duration of anesthesia was roughly the same across both groups, averaging around 70 minutes.
  • The study reported that horses in Group A (head-tail rope assisted) had fewer attempts to stand and shorter recovery duration when compared to those in Group U (unassisted).
  • The quality of recovery for horses in Group A was significantly better than that for horses in Group U.
  • Nine horses in Group U experienced recovery-associated injuries, compared to only two in Group A, showing lesser minor injuries when head-tail rope assistance was used.
  • Despite these findings, fatalities could not be prevented, with one horse from each group, sadly, having to be euthanized.

Conclusions

  • The research concluded that using head-tail rope assistance for recovery post-surgery resulted in reduced standing attempts, a shorter recovery duration, improved recovery quality, and fewer minor injuries compared to unassisted recovery.
  • Although fatalities could not be prevented, the results suggest that head-tail rope assistance could potentially improve the recovery process for healthy horses undergoing short-duration elective surgeries utilizing isoflurane and triple drip.

Cite This Article

APA
Arndt S, Hopster K, Sill V, Rohn K, Kästner SBR. (2019). Comparison between head-tail-rope assisted and unassisted recoveries in healthy horses undergoing general anesthesia for elective surgeries. Vet Surg, 49(2), 329-338. https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.13347

Publication

Veterinary surgery : VS
ISSN: 1532-950X
NlmUniqueID: 8113214
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 49
Issue: 2
Pages: 329-338

Researcher Affiliations

Arndt, Stefanie
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Hopster, Klaus
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Sill, Volker
  • Pferdeklinik Bargteheide, Bargteheide, Germany.
Rohn, Karl
  • Institute for Biometry and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
Kästner, Sabine B R
  • Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.
  • Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany.

MeSH Terms

  • Anesthesia Recovery Period
  • Anesthesia, General / veterinary
  • Anesthetics, Inhalation
  • Animals
  • Elective Surgical Procedures / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horses
  • Isoflurane
  • Male
  • Postoperative Care / veterinary
  • Prospective Studies

Grant Funding

  • University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation

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