Exploratory celiotomy for gastrointestinal disease in neonatal foals: a review of 20 cases.

This study looks at the medical records of 20 neonatal foals who underwent exploratory surgery due to gastrointestinal disease. The main clinical issues cattle breeders faced include persistent pain and/or abdominal distension, which led to the choice for surgery. Laboratory data played a critical role in managing the foals during and after the surgery. Diagnoses included a variety of conditions, some foals survived and were discharged, some died due to sepsis after recovery.

Reasons for the Surgery

• Based on the clinical findings, the diagnostic execution, in this case, exploratory celiotomy, was prompted by consistent pain and/or progressive abdominal distension in all 20 neonatal foals.
• This was a significant decision-making factor as such symptoms indicated a potential of gastrointestinal diseases which required urgent attention.

Role of Laboratory Data

• Alongside clinical observations, supplementary laboratory information was instrumental in directing the medical administration of these foals during anaesthesia and post-operative care.
• This implies that despite the physical symptoms being a major reason for the surgery, laboratory tests were critical in providing additional information which increased the chances of successful outcomes.

Surgical Diagnoses

• The conditions diagnosed in the foals undergoing the surgery included ileus in 45% of the cases, small colon obstruction in 25%, large colon displacement in 15%, small intestinal displacement in 10%, and perforated gastric ulcer in one of the foals.
• These diagnoses were results of the exploratory celiotomy and were critical in determining the mode of treatment and post-operative care for each foal.

Post-Operative Outcomes

• Out of the 20 foals, 17 foals recovered from anaesthesia, indicating a fairly high overall success rate of the surgical procedure and its immediate aftermath.
• 13 foals were well enough to be discharged from the hospital.
• However, the long-term survival rate was lower, as only seven were alive six months or more post-discharge.
• Six of the 10 foals that died post-recovery were identified to have succumbed to sepsis – suggesting possible post-surgery complications or inadequate post-operative care.