Influence of preoperative complete blood cell counts on surgical outcomes in healthy horses: 102 cases (1986-1996).

This research studied the link between preoperative CBC (complete blood count) and surgery outcomes in healthy horses undergoing a specific surgery. The results suggest that preoperative CBC does not predict complications or impact patient management during or after surgery.

Research Methods and Objectives

• The aim of this study was to evaluate the worth of CBC as a preoperative test for healthy horses having a specific surgery called cryptorchidectomy (removal of a testicle that hasn’t descended).
• This was a retrospective study involving a review of 117 medical records of horses that had undergone cryptorchidectomy. Of these, 102 did not have a known medical condition that could potentially affect surgery.
• A primary interest point of the study was to observe the abnormalities detected in the preoperative CBC, and how these influenced the development of complications during and after the surgery along with alterations in patient management.

Findings of the Study

• Despite 102 CBCs being conducted, 55 contained abnormalities. Mild neutrophilia (an increase in the number of a type of white blood cell called neutrophils) was detected in 40 out of these 55 abnormal cases.
• Aside from the 40 horses displaying mild neutrophilia, 15 other horses showed abnormal CBC, 8 of which had abnormalities considered as potentially important. Despite this, these 8 cases did not end up affecting patient management or the occurrence of surgical complications.
• The surgical complications were categorized as changes in blood pressure during the surgery, extreme blood loss, the appearance of muscle problems after anesthesia, and infections of the wound or respiratory tract post-surgery. Out of the 17 horses experiencing surgical complications, 6 showed an abnormal CBC that indicated mild neutrophilia.
• The predictive values of preoperative CBC on the development of complications surrounding the operative period were discovered to be quite low—0.11 positive and 0.77 negative, respectively.

Conclusions Drawn from the Study

• The researchers concluded that preoperative CBC does not have a predictive quality in terms of the development of complications during or after the surgery.
• Additionally, the preoperative CBC does not seem to affect the management of the patient during this period, based on the findings of this study.