Flowmetry and spectrophotometry can detect reduced intestinal microperfusion in nonsurvivors during equine colic surgery for large intestinal strangulation.
Abstract: To evaluate the use of laser Doppler flowmetry and spectrophotometry (LDFS) for large intestinal viability assessment in horses with naturally occurring large intestinal strangulations. Methods: By use of LDFS, intestinal microperfusion was quantified as tissue oxygen saturation (tSo2), hemoglobin (tHB), and blood flow (tBF) in cases with large colon volvulus and small colon strangulations undergoing colic surgery (n = 17). Intestinal biopsies were taken from the pelvic flexure in all large colon cases and in small colon cases that underwent intraoperative euthanasia. Measurements were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors, and the correlation between LDFS and (immuno)histology was tested (P < .05). Results: The tSo2 and tBF were clearly lower and tHB was higher than previously reported in healthy horses. Following correction of the lesion, pelvic flexure tBF was significantly lower than that of the left ventral colon. Prior to correction of the lesion, microperfusion did not differ between survivors and nonsurvivors, but following release of the strangulation the survivors had a significantly higher tSo2 and tBF compared to the nonsurvivors. There was a negative correlation between tBF and interstitium-to-crypt ratio and a positive correlation between tHB and the histological hemorrhage score. There were no significant correlations between LDFS measurements and inflammatory cell counts or hypoxia-inducible factor-1α immunoreactivity. Conclusions: Large intestinal microperfusion was decreased in nonsurvivors compared to survivors and was correlated with histological injury, suggesting that LDFS has the potential to predict tissue injury and postoperative survival. Conclusions: The use of LDFS as an ancillary diagnostic aid may improve intraoperative viability assessment during colic surgery.
Publication Date: 2024-08-08 PubMed ID: 39116909DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.24.05.0142Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article investigates the use of laser Doppler flowmetry and spectrophotometry (LDFS) to assess large intestinal health in horses. The results highlight that LDFS measurements can predict tissue damage and postoperative survival during colic surgery for large intestinal strangulation.
Research Method
- The study used LDFS to quantify intestinal microperfusion, measured as tissue oxygen saturation (tSo2), hemoglobin (tHB), and blood flow (tBF).
- The research included cases with large colon volvulus and small colon strangulations undergoing colic surgery, with a total of 17 cases in the study.
- Intestinal biopsies were taken from the pelvic flexure in all large colon cases and in small colon cases that underwent intraoperative euthanasia.
- The LDFS measurements were compared between survivors and nonsurvivors and tested for correlation with (immuno)histology.
Findings of the Study
- The measured variables, tSo2 and tBF, were found to be lower and tHB was higher than the values previously reported in healthy horses.
- After the correction of the lesion, the blood flow (tBF) at the pelvic flexure was significantly lower than that of the left ventral colon.
- Before the lesion’s correction, the microperfusion did not differ between survivors and nonsurvivors. However, after releasing the strangulation, survivors showed a significantly higher tSo2 and tBF compared to the nonsurvivors.
- The blood flow (tBF) had a negative correlation with the interstitium-to-crypt ratio, whereas the hemoglobin (tHB) had a positive correlation with the histological hemorrhage score.
- There were no significant correlations found between LDFS measurements and inflammatory cell counts or hypoxia-inducible factor-1α immunoreactivity.
Implications and Conclusions
- The microperfusion in the large intestine was decreased in nonsurvivors compared to survivors and correlated with the degree of histological injury.
- This phenomenon suggests that LDFS measurements can potentially predict tissue injury and postoperative survival rates, and hence may be a valuable tool for monitoring during colic surgery for large intestinal strangulation.
- The application of LDFS as a supplementary diagnostic tool could enhance the intraoperative viability assessment during colic surgery.
Cite This Article
APA
Verhaar N, Reineking W, Hewicker-Trautwein M, Grages AM, Kästner SBR, Geburek F.
(2024).
Flowmetry and spectrophotometry can detect reduced intestinal microperfusion in nonsurvivors during equine colic surgery for large intestinal strangulation.
Am J Vet Res, 85(10).
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.24.05.0142 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Department of Pathology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Clinic for Small Animals, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
- Clinic for Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horses
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Colic / surgery
- Spectrophotometry / veterinary
- Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / veterinary
- Female
- Male
- Intestinal Obstruction / veterinary
- Intestinal Obstruction / surgery
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