Hepatic lobe torsion as a cause of colic in a horse.

The research investigated the case of a 14-year-old Arabian horse which suffered from colic due to the twisting of a lobe within its liver.

Case Presentation

• A male Arabian horse, 14 years old, was brought in for a check-up due to colic, abdominal pain usually caused by gas or obstruction in the intestines.
• The veterinarians performed an exploratory celiotomy, a surgical procedure wherein an incision is made on the abdomen to examine the abdominal organs, and discovered that there was a torsion or twist in the left lobe of the horse’s liver.

Surgical Procedure

• The twisted liver lobe was removed using a TA-90 surgical stapling device. This device is commonly used to resect, or remove tissues, organs, or tumors.
• The removed section of the liver was then subjected to histologic examination, a microscopic examination of the tissue’s cellular structure and function.

Histological Findings

• Pathological analysis of the resected liver identified several alarming features: dilation and congestion of the portal vein and sinusoids with blood, areas of necrosis or cell death, and presence of bacterial cocci and rods, indicative of a bacterial infection.
• The findings aligned with the consequences of hepatic lobe torsion which disrupts the blood supply leading to congestion, cell death, and possible infection.

Post-Surgical Treatment and Recovery

• Following the surgery, the horse was treated with: broad-spectrum antibiotics to tackle potential bacterial infections; anti-inflammatory drugs to manage any inflammation caused by the operation; heparin, a blood thinner to avoid blood clots; and intravenous fluids to maintain hydration.
• In the weeks following surgery, elevated levels of liver enzymes were noted, suggesting some level of liver damage remained.
• However, after seven months the horse showed no signs of suffering any ill effects related to this operation, displaying a successful recovery.