Complete caecal bypass without ileal transection for caecal impaction in horses: seven clinical cases (1997-2007).

This research paper investigates the effectiveness of a novel surgical technique used for treating cases of caecal impaction in seven horses, with attention to survival rates, post-surgery complications, and recovery time.

Methodology

• The study analyzes the medical records of seven horses that underwent surgery between 1997 and 2007.
• This specific procedure uses a stapling technique to create a complete caecal bypass without transecting the ileum.
• Data collection included information found in the medical records and further details obtained from telephone interviews with people associated with the case.

Findings

• The horses involved in the study ranged in age from 2 to 22 years, with an average age of 10 years.
• Duration of colic symptoms prior to surgery varied from 24 hours to 2 weeks.
• Five out of seven horses had type II motility dysfunction, whilst the remaining two had type I.
• The average surgical time was 185 minutes and the horses remained in the hospital on average for 12.4 days.
• A majority of the horses (5 out of 7) survived the surgery and were discharged from the hospital, with all of them alive up until 60 days post-surgery.
• Out of the five discharged, one was lost to follow-up and out of the remaining four (which is approximately 66.7%), all were alive for at least one year post-surgery.

Conclusion

• This novel surgical technique for treating caecal impaction shows similar outcomes when compared to a complete bypass with ileal transection.
• There are several advantages to this approach including potential reduction in surgery time and possibly a decreased risk of intraoperative abdominal contamination.
• The research concludes that this technique is recommended for use in clinical cases where a caecal bypass is beneficial for the patient.