Factors associated with survival of epiploic foramen entrapment colic: a multicentre, international study.

The research explores factors that affect the long-term survival of horses diagnosed with Epiploic Foramen Entrapment (EFE)- a type of colic. The findings reveal that increased Packed Cell Volume (PCV), lengthy small intestine resections, and Post-Operative Ileus (POI) significantly increase the likelihood of mortality among EFE cases, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

Objective and Methodology

• This study aimed to describe postoperative survival in EFE cases and identify factors that impact long-term survival among these horses.
• The researchers took a prospective, international approach, conducting the study across 15 clinics in the UK, Ireland, and USA.
• They collected and reviewed clinical data and long-lasting follow-up data from 126 horses diagnosed with EFE during exploratory laparotomy.
• They used this information to generate descriptive data and perform a survival analysis to pinpoint factors associated with decreased postoperative survival.

Findings

• Survival rate to hospital discharge was 78.5% for the EFE cohort that recovered following anesthesia.
• Survival postoperatively to 1 and 2 years was 50.6% and 34.3% respectively.
• The median survival time of EFE cases that underwent surgery was 397 days.
• When pre- and intraoperative variables were analyzed, it was found that an increased Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and an increased length of small intestine (SI) resected were significantly linked to a higher chance of mortality.
• However, when pre-, intra-, and postoperative variables were analyzed separately, only the horses that developed Post-Operative Ileus (POI) were identified as having an increased chance of mortality.

Conclusion

• The study concludes that enhanced PCV, increased SI resection length, and POI are all associated with a higher risk of mortality in EFE cases.
• This underscores the significance of early diagnosis and treatment, along with the need for better POI management strategies to reduce postoperative fatalities in EFE cases.
• The study delivers evidence-based insights for clinicians and horse owners about long-term survival after EFE surgery, applicable to university and large private clinics across a wide geographic area.