Evaluation of postoperative peritoneal lavage in standing horses for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions.

The research investigates the use of peritoneal lavage after surgery in preventing the formation of abdominal adhesions in horses.

Objective of the Study

The primary aim of the research was to evaluate the preventative effects of postoperative peritoneal lavage on the formation of intra-abdominal adhesions, which were experimentally induced in horses.

Methodology

• The research made use of 12 horses, wherein five areas of serosal abrasion on the jejunum were created in each horse to simulate conditions leading to adhesion development.
• The horses were then split into two groups: one group underwent peritoneal lavage post-operation (treatment group), while the other did not (control group).
• A thoracic catheter was inserted into the right ventral aspect of each horse’s abdomen before closing up the incision.
• The treatment group were subjected to abdominal lavage using 10 liters of lactated Ringer’s solution, repeated four times, following the surgical operation.
• The catheters were removed from all horses 34 hours post celiotomy (surgical incision into the abdominal cavity).
• Two weeks after the surgery, all horses were necropsied to determine the number of intra-abdominal adhesions that had formed.

Results

• Every horse in the control group and one horse from the treatment group had intraabdominal adhesions.
• Significantly less adhesions were recorded in treated horses (P < .0293), showing the effectivity of peritoneal lavage treatment in preventing adhesion formation.
• There appeared to be no adverse inflammatory reactions associated with the use of lactated Ringer’s solution or the repeated peritoneal lavage.

Conclusion

• The study concluded that peritoneal lavage effectively reduces the frequency of intraabdominal adhesions in horses after surgical operations.
• As such, peritoneal lavage post-surgery may be a viable preventative treatment against the development of adhesions in cases where postoperative adhesions are expected.