Complications of celiotomy incisions in horses.

This research article investigates the complications related to celiotomy incisions in 274 horses that either survived for at least one month post-surgery, or died or were euthanized due to the complications within a month of surgery. The horses were divided into four groups based on the nature of their surgery, and complications like peri-incisional edema, drainage, incisional abscess, suture sinus, and dehiscence were studied. Results showed that 30% of the horses experienced incision-related complications, with those in certain surgical groups showing higher rates of complications than others, and incisional hernia development was significantly more common in horses that had other incisional complications.

Methodology

• 274 horses were studied for this research. They were included if they either survived for at least one month after surgery, or died or were euthanized within a month due to direct complications from the surgery.
• The horses were divided into four groups based on the type of surgery they had undergone. Group A had a ventral median celiotomy for intestinal disease, Group B had the same surgery for non-intestinal disease, Group C underwent repair of an umbilical hernia, and Group D had celiotomy in a region other than the midline.

Findings

• Out of all the horses, 30% experienced incision-related complications.
• Complications were most frequent in Group D (88%), followed by Group A (40%), Group B (18%), and Group C (7%). The difference in complications rates between the groups was statistically significant, particularly between Group D and Group A, and between Group A and Groups B and C.
• Incisional hernia occurred in 11% of the horses that were available for follow-up after surviving at least 4 months.
• In relation to the horses that developed an incisional hernia, it was statistically more common in horses that had other incisional complications. Out of the 28 horses that developed hernias, 23 had other incisional complications.
• Horses with serous or purulent incisional drainage were more prone to hernia formation, as compared to those with serosanguineous drainage or other incisional complications.

Conclusions

• The research concluded that complications from celiotomy incisions in horses are fairly common, occurring in 30% of cases.
• The type and locale of surgery influences the likelihood of complications, with non-midline surgeries showing the highest rates of complications.
• Horses with incisional complications were found to be more in danger of developing hernias, particularly in cases involving serous or purulent drainage conditions.