Duodenojejunal mesenteric rents: Survival and complications after surgical correction in 38 broodmares (2006-2014).

The study aims to document short-term and long-term survival rates of horses, specifically Thoroughbred broodmares, treated for duodenojejunal mesenteric rents and to understand the impact of various preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors on their survival and recurrence of colic after surgery.

Methodology

• The study uses a retrospective case series approach and focuses on horses that had undergone surgery for small intestinal lesions due to duodenojejunal mesenteric rents.
• Medical records of 38 horses from 2006 to 2014 of a referral hospital in Kentucky were evaluated.
• Information on preoperative and intraoperative findings, postoperative difficulties, and short-term survival until discharge were documented.
• Long-term survival, defined as survival past 12 months, were determined via follow-up phone interviews.
• The researchers employed logistic regression to identify associations of various factors with survival and colic recurrence post-discharge.

Results

• All 38 participants were Thoroughbred broodmares.
• The short-term survival rate was found to be 76% overall and 88% amongst horses that recovered from general anesthesia.
• Long-term survival was 74% overall and an impressive 97% in mares that survived to discharge.
• All long-term survivors and 85% of mares that recovered from general anesthesia returned to their breeding role.
• The odds of survival were notably higher for horses aged 10 years or younger (OR = 6.2; 95% CI, 1.1-34.4).
• Failure to close the mesenteric rent was associated with increased odds of post-discharge colic, but had no impact on survival statistics.

Conclusions

• Relative to prior reports, both short-term and long-term survival rates were high in Thoroughbred broodmares that underwent duodenojejunal mesenteric rent surgery.
• Mares that survived to discharge post-surgery had excellent odds for long-term survival.
• According to the study data, closing of the mesenteric rents is recommended to prevent the recurrence of colic, although it does not appear to be critical for survival.