Effect of a ventral midline colopexy on large colon volvulus recurrence and days to next live foal in Thoroughbred broodmares.
Abstract: To report the impact of ventral midline colopexy on colic, recurrence of large colon volvulus (LCV) and time to next live foal. Methods: Retrospective case control study. Methods: A total of 188 Thoroughbred broodmares surgically treated for LCV (2016-2020). Methods: Horses treated for LCV were grouped based on whether they received a colopexy (CP) or did not (NCP). All broodmares that underwent a second LCV surgery were subsequently categorized into two groups: those that received a colopexy (RCP) and those that did not (NRCP). Differences in the number of horses with large colon compromise, postoperative complications, days until discharge, survival, re-presentation for colic, LCV recurrence and days to next live foal were compared between the CP and NCP groups and between the RCP and NRCP groups. Results: The OR for re-presenting for colic when a colopexy was not performed was 3.13 (95% CI: 1.03-9.48, p-value .046) and 9.74 (95% CI: 1.28-74.90, p-value .0054) for recurrent LCV compared to when a colopexy was performed at the initial surgery. At the subsequent surgery, the OR for re-presentation for colic when a colopexy was not performed was 7.0 (95% CI: 1.23-39.78, p-value .034) and 14.0 (95% CI: 1.52-129.22, p-value .009) for recurrent LCV. Days to next live foal was not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: Ventral midline colopexy reduced the risk of repeat LCV and colic with no effect on foaling. Conclusions: These results support the use of the ventral midline colopexy in broodmares. Further research is needed on effects on foaling.
© 2025 American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Publication Date: 2025-05-07 PubMed ID: 40331657DOI: 10.1111/vsu.14269Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research studied the impact of a surgical procedure called ventral midline colopexy on the recurrence of large colon volvulus (a type of colic) and foaling time in Thoroughbred broodmares. The findings suggest that the procedure decreases the risk of recurrent colic and colon volvulus without affecting the time to foaling.
Research Methodology
- The researchers carried out a retrospective case control study using data from 188 Thoroughbred broodmares which had been surgically treated for large colon volvulus (LCV) between 2016 and 2020.
- The mares were divided into groups based on whether they received a colopexy procedure (CP) or didn’t (NCP) as part of their treatment for LCV. Those who underwent a second surgery for LCV were also classified into two categories: those that received a colopexy (RCP) and those that didn’t (NRCP).
- The team then compared several factors between the CP and NCP groups, and between the RCP and NRCP groups: the number of horses with large colon complications, postoperative complications, the number of days until discharge, survival rates, incidence of re-presentation for colic, LCV recurrence, and the number of days till the next live foal.
Research Findings
- For horses that did not undergo a colopexy during their initial surgery, the odds ratio (OR) for re-presenting with colic was 3.13, and 9.74 for recurrent LCV. This indicates a statistically significant increase in risk for both colic and LCV reoccurrence without a colopexy.
- At the subsequent surgery, the OR for re-presentation for colic when a colopexy was not performed was 7.0, and 14.0 for recurrent LCV. This suggests that the absence of a colopexy in a second surgery if required also significantly increases the risk of colic and repeat LCV.
- The researchers did not find a significant difference in the number of days to the next live foal between the groups that underwent colopexy and those that didn’t. This indicates that the procedure does not impact the broodmare’s breeding cycle.
Conclusions and Implications
- The study concluded that a ventral midline colopexy reduces the risk of LCV recurrence and colic in Thoroughbred broodmares without affecting their foaling time.
- These findings support the use of the colopexy procedure in broodmares, but the team acknowledges that further research is required to explore its effects on foaling more deeply.
Cite This Article
APA
Warren AS, Werner LA, Thombs LA, Rodgerson DH, Spirito MA, Sandow CB, McCracken MJ.
(2025).
Effect of a ventral midline colopexy on large colon volvulus recurrence and days to next live foal in Thoroughbred broodmares.
Vet Surg, 54(5), 952-961.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vsu.14269 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
- Davidson Surgery Center, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
- Davidson Surgery Center, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- Davidson Surgery Center, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- Davidson Surgery Center, Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
- Veterinary Health Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Retrospective Studies
- Intestinal Volvulus / veterinary
- Intestinal Volvulus / surgery
- Recurrence
- Case-Control Studies
- Colic / veterinary
- Colic / surgery
- Colonic Diseases / veterinary
- Colonic Diseases / surgery
- Female
- Male
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Treatment Outcome
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