Equine surgical colic: risk factors for postoperative complications.
Abstract: The reason for undertaking this study was that postoperative complications of colic surgery lead to patient discomfort, prolonged hospitalisation and increased cost. Potential risk factors for the 6 most common postoperative complications (jugular thrombosis, ileus, re-laparotomy, wound suppuration, incisional herniation and colic) were evaluated using multivariable models. Jugular thrombosis was associated significantly with heart rate greater than 60 beats/min and with increased packed cell volume (PCV) at admission. The risk of postoperative ileus also increased with increasing PCV at admission and was higher in horses recovering from pedunculated lipoma obstruction. Incisional herniation was strongly associated with wound suppuration and with increasing heart rate at admission. The emergence of cardiovascular parameters as risk factors for several postoperative complications is consistent with the hypothesis that endotoxaemia is important in the development of these complications. Early referral of colic cases, prior to the development of severe endotoxaemic shock, may minimise the risk of some postoperative complications. Horses that have suffered epiploic foramen entrapment, are more than 4 times as likely to undergo re-laparotomy than other horses. Horses that have suffered postoperative ileus have a similarly increased risk of undergoing re-laparotomy. The risk of postoperative colic is significantly associated with horses recovering from large colon torsion (>360 degrees) and with having undergone re-laparotomy. Hazard ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) for these last two effects are 3.1 (1.7, 5.7) and 3.4 (1.9, 6.2), respectively. Knowledge of the risk factors for postoperative complications allows more accurate prognostication postoperatively and suggests ways in which the risk of postoperative complications can be minimised.
Publication Date: 2002-10-03 PubMed ID: 12358045DOI: 10.2746/042516402776117791Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research article investigates the risk factors associated with postoperative complications in horses that have undergone colic surgery. The aim of the study is to enhance prediction accuracy for these complications, in order to improve prognostication and potentially reduce their occurrence.
Overview of the Study Design
- The paper conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the most common postoperative complications in horses that have had colic surgery. Specifically, the study focused on jugular thrombosis, postoperative ileus, re-laparotomy, wound suppuration, incisional herniation and colic.
- These potential risk factors were assessed using multivariable models, a statistical approach that allows the researchers to analyze multiple variables at once and determine their individual contribution to the outcome.
Main Findings of the Study
- Heart rate above 60 beats per minute and a higher packed cell volume at admission significantly intensified the risk of jugular thrombosis. Packed cell volume (PCV) refers to the volume percentage of red blood cells in the blood, often elevated in dehydration or other disorders.
- The risk of postoperative ileus, a disruption of the normal propulsive ability of the gastrointestinal tract, similarly increased with rising PCV and was higher in horses recovering from obstructions caused by pedunculated lipoma, a fatty tumor on a stalk structure.
- Incisional herniation, a complication where contents of the abdomen push through a healing surgical site, was strongly associated with wound suppuration (the production of pus) and an elevated heart rate upon admission.
Link between Cardiovascular parameters and Postoperative Complications
- The consistent emergence of cardiovascular factors as risk predictors for several postoperative complications supports the hypothesis that endotoxaemia (the presence of harmful bacterial toxins in the bloodstream) might play a crucial role in their development.
- The study suggests early referral of colic cases could be beneficial in reducing the risk of some postoperative complications because it may prevent the advancement of severe endotoxaemic shock.
Re-laparotomy and Postoperative Colic Risk Factors
- Horses suffering from epiploic foramen entrapment were found to be over four times more likely to need re-laparotomy, an additional abdominal surgery.
- Similarly, horses experiencing postoperative ileus were more likely to undergo re-laparotomy.
- Postoperative colic was significantly linked with horses recovering from large colon torsion (a rotation of over 360 degrees of the large colon on its mesentery) and those that had undergone re-laparotomy.
Conclusions and Implications
- The findings of this research highlight the significance of understanding risk factors for postoperative complications. Doing so not only enables more precise postoperative prognosis but also contributes to identifying methods to minimize these complications.
Cite This Article
APA
French NP, Smith J, Edwards GB, Proudman CJ.
(2002).
Equine surgical colic: risk factors for postoperative complications.
Equine Vet J, 34(5), 444-449.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516402776117791 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Welfare
- Animals
- Colic / epidemiology
- Colic / mortality
- Colic / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Heart Rate
- Hematocrit / veterinary
- Hernia / epidemiology
- Hernia / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / mortality
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Hospitalization / economics
- Intestinal Obstruction / epidemiology
- Intestinal Obstruction / veterinary
- Laparotomy / veterinary
- Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
- Postoperative Complications / mortality
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Reoperation / statistics & numerical data
- Reoperation / veterinary
- Risk Factors
- Surgical Wound Infection / epidemiology
- Surgical Wound Infection / veterinary
- Thrombosis / epidemiology
- Thrombosis / veterinary
- United Kingdom / epidemiology
- Wound Healing
Citations
This article has been cited 19 times.- Nocera I, Cingottini D, Di Franco C, Sala G, Bindi F, Spadari A, Rinnovati R, Vitale V, Jose-Cunilleras E, Sgorbini M. In-Depth Analysis of the Prognostic Factors Associated with Short-Term Outcome in Equine Colic Patients: Multicentric Retrospective Study. Animals (Basel) 2026 Feb 5;16(3).
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- Yi X, Lee JE, Lee YH, Yu X, Lee HS. Clinical efficacy of platelet-rich plasma combined with arthroscopic meniscal plasty on pain, function and physiologic indicators in elderly patients with knee meniscus injury: a retrospective observational study. Am J Transl Res 2023;15(6):3806-3814.
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