Ileal hypertrophy and associated true diverticulum as a cause of colic in a horse.
Abstract: A 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding underwent an explorative celiotomy for a suspected small intestinal obstruction. During surgery, an impacted diverticulum of the ileum was suspected, necessitating a jejunocaecostomy. The owner opted for euthanasia. On post-mortem examination and histopathology, a true diverticulum on the mesenteric side of the ileum, with ileal hypertrophy, was diagnosed.
Publication Date: 2017-05-26 PubMed ID: 28582984PubMed Central: PMC6138206DOI: 10.4102/jsava.v88i0.1439Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The article discusses a surgical case of a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding horse which exhibited signs of colic, suspected to be caused by an intestinal obstruction. The horse was found to have an impacted diverticulum in the ileum, consequently leading to euthanasia. The post-mortem results confirmed the presence of a true diverticulum and ileal hypertrophy.
Background of the Research
- The research came about as a result of a veterinary case which involved a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding horse presenting symptoms of colic. The suspected cause of this was a small-intestinal obstruction.
- Understanding the cause of the horse’s colic is important since it is a common ailment in horses and can often lead to serious complications if not properly managed.
Findings from the Surgery
- During the exploratory surgical procedure (celiotomy), an impacted diverticulum of the ileum was identified. A diverticulum is an abnormal pouch or sac opening from a hollow organ, like the intestine, which can trap food or fecal matter, causing pain (colic).
- Due to this discovery, a jejunocaecostomy was deemed necessary. This surgical procedure connects the jejunum, part of the small intestine, to the cecum, part of the large intestine, to bypass the obstruction.
- The owner of the horse, however, opted not to go ahead with further treatment and the horse was euthanized.
Post-mortem Examination and Histopathology
- The post-mortem examination confirmed the presence of a true diverticulum on the mesenteric side of the ileum.
- A ‘true’ diverticulum signifies that all the layers of the intestinal wall are involved, making it more likely to cause serious complications, such as in this case.
- The histopathological studies also diagnosed ileal hypertrophy, which indicates an enlargement or overgrowth of the ileum, the final section of the small intestine.
Conclusions of the Study
- The results of this study confirm the presence of a true diverticulum and ileal hypertrophy in the horse, which were likely the source of the gastrointestinal discomfort (colic).
- The research is significant in contributing to further understanding of gastrointestinal disorders in horses, their diagnosis, and potential treatment options.
Cite This Article
APA
Mahne AT, Janse van Rensburg D, Hewetson M.
(2017).
Ileal hypertrophy and associated true diverticulum as a cause of colic in a horse.
J S Afr Vet Assoc, 88, e1-e5.
https://doi.org/10.4102/jsava.v88i0.1439 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, University of Pretoria. arnold.mahne@gmail.com.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Colic / diagnosis
- Colic / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Diverticulum
- Fatal Outcome
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Hypertrophy
- Intestinal Obstruction / diagnosis
- Intestinal Obstruction / surgery
- Intestinal Obstruction / veterinary
- Male
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
References
This article includes 19 references
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