Evaluation of risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses.

The research article assesses the factors that increase the risk of postoperative ileus (POI) in horses that have undergone surgery for colic. A significant conclusion is that specific observations during the preoperative and intraoperative periods can be used to identify horses at greater risk, informing potential steps to minimize the incidence of POI.

Study Design and Participants

• This was a prospective case-control study that included 251 horses that had undergone surgery for colic. Out of these, 47 horses developed postoperative ileus (POI).

Data Collection

• For all the horses, data was collected on signalment, history, clinicopathologic data, pre-and postoperative treatments, lesions, complications, costs, and outcome throughout their hospital stay.

Results

• The study found that factors associated with higher odds of developing POI included the presence of a small intestinal lesion, high pack cell volume (PCV), and extended duration of anesthesia.
• There was some evidence that procedures such as pelvic flexure enterotomy and administration of lidocaine during surgery may have lowered the risk of developing POI. However, this evidence was only moderate.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• The study concluded that observations made during the preoperative and intraoperative periods could be useful in determining which horses are at a higher risk of developing POI. This, in turn, can guide clinicians in developing strategies to minimize the incidence of POI.
• It is recommended to reduce the duration of surgery and anesthesia in order to decrease the likelihood of POI.