Esophageal disorders in 61 horses. Results of nonsurgical and surgical management.
Abstract: Obstructive esophageal disorders in 61 horses included feed or foreign body impaction (27 horses), strictures (18 horses), perforations (11 horses), and diverticula (5 horses). Horses with feed impaction were treated nonsurgically (25 horses) or by esophagotomy (2 horses). Survival to discharge was 78%, and 37% of these had persistent chronic obstruction at home. Long-term survival was 52%. Long-term survival of nine horses treated nonsurgically for esophageal strictures was 22%; for nine horses treated surgically it was 44%. Long-term survival of horses treated nonsurgically was significantly better in acute than chronic strictures. Surgical repair of esophageal mural strictures was more successful than repair of annular or mucosal strictures. One third of the horses with strictures were foals. Long-term survival for horses with strictures was 33%. Long-term survival was higher for the horses with perforations managed surgically (2 of 4) than nonsurgically (0 of 7). Long-term survival for this group was 18%. One esophageal diverticulum was managed nonsurgically, and four were treated surgically; all horses survived long term. Complications of obstructive esophageal disorders included aspiration pneumonia, chronic obstruction, esophageal mucosal ulceration, postoperative infection, pleuritis, laminitis, laryngeal paralysis, and Horner's syndrome.
Publication Date: 1989-11-01 PubMed ID: 2513678DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.1990.tb01120.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The study investigates the outcomes of both non-surgical and surgical treatments for esophageal disorders among 61 horses. The main disorders tackled include feed or foreign body impaction, strictures, perforations and diverticula. The results suggest varying survival rates based on the specific disorder and treatment method used.
Study Population and Disorders
- The research involved 61 horses suffering from four major types of esophageal disorders: feed or foreign body impaction, strictures, perforations, and diverticula.
Impaction Disorders
- Feed or foreign body impaction was the disorder experienced by 27 horses in the study. The majority of these horses (25 of them) were treated non-surgically, while 2 required esophagotomy surgery.
- The study reported a survival rate of 78% till discharge for these horses, but 37% of the survivors experienced chronic obstruction after returning home.
- The long-term survival rate among these horses with feed impaction was reported to be 52%.
Esophageal Strictures
- Esophageal strictures were evidenced in 18 horses. Half of these horses were treated non-surgically, while the other half underwent surgery.
- The research found that the long-term survival rate for horses with esophageal strictures treated non-surgically was 22% compared to a rate of 44% for those treated surgically.
- In addition, the study found that non-surgical treatments provided significantly better outcomes for acute esophageal strictures compared to chronic cases. Also, surgical repair of mural strictures gave more favorable results than repair of annular or mucosal strictures.
- Interestingly, one-third of the horses with strictures were foals.
- The overall long-term survival for horses with strictures was 33%.
Esophageal Perforations
- 11 horses in the study had esophageal perforations. Surgical treatments resulted in better long-term survival rates (50%) than non-surgical treatments, which did not yield any long-term survivors.
- The overall long-term survival for this group was 18%.
Esophageal Diverticula
- Five horses had esophageal diverticula with one horse managed non-surgically and four horses surgically treated. All horses survived in the long term.
Complications
- Complications identified in the study due to obstructive esophageal disorders included aspiration pneumonia, chronic obstruction, esophageal mucosal ulceration, postoperative infection, pleuritis, laminitis, laryngeal paralysis, and Horner’s syndrome.
Cite This Article
APA
Craig DR, Shivy DR, Pankowski RL, Erb HN.
(1989).
Esophageal disorders in 61 horses. Results of nonsurgical and surgical management.
Vet Surg, 18(6), 432-438.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.1990.tb01120.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Diverticulum, Esophageal / surgery
- Diverticulum, Esophageal / therapy
- Diverticulum, Esophageal / veterinary
- Esophageal Diseases / complications
- Esophageal Diseases / surgery
- Esophageal Diseases / therapy
- Esophageal Diseases / veterinary
- Esophageal Perforation / surgery
- Esophageal Perforation / therapy
- Esophageal Perforation / veterinary
- Esophageal Stenosis / surgery
- Esophageal Stenosis / therapy
- Esophageal Stenosis / veterinary
- Esophagus / surgery
- Foreign Bodies / surgery
- Foreign Bodies / therapy
- Foreign Bodies / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Retrospective Studies
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Zabady MK, Shawaf T. A retrospective study of choke (oesophageal obstruction) in 64 one-hump Dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Saudi Arabia.. Vet Rec Open 2022 Dec;9(1):e53.
- Nijdam P, Elmas C, Fugazzola MC. Treatment of an Esophageal Stricture in a 1-Month-Old Miniature Shetland Colt.. Case Rep Vet Med 2017;2017:3069419.
- Koenig JB, Silveira A, Cribb NC, Piat P, Laverty S, Sorge US. Clinical indications, complications, and long-term outcome of esophageal surgeries in 27 horses.. Can Vet J 2016 Dec;57(12):1257-1262.
- Prutton JS, Marks SL, Aleman M. Endoscopic Balloon Dilation of Esophageal Strictures in 9 Horses.. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Jul-Aug;29(4):1105-11.
- Abutarbush SM. Esophageal laceration and obstruction caused by a foreign body in 2 young foals.. Can Vet J 2011 Jul;52(7):764-7.
- Murray RC, Gaughan EM. Pulsion diverticulum of the cranial cervical esophagus in a horse.. Can Vet J 1993 Jun;34(6):365-7.
