Penetrating wounds of the thorax in 15 horses.
Abstract: Clinical features, treatment and outcome of 15 horses with penetrating thoracic wounds are described. The most common cause of trauma was collision with an object (10 horses). Concurrent clinical findings included subcutaneous emphysema (12 horses), pneumothorax (12 horses), haemothorax (5 horses) and pneumomediastinum (6 horses). Axillary wounds were present in 5 horses. Foreign bodies were identified and removed from 2 horses. Wounds were sutured (6 horses) or packed (7 horses). Air was evacuated from the pleural cavities of 11 horses. Eleven horses (73%) were discharged from the hospital. All horses subjected to euthanasia had severe trauma to structures outside the thoracic cavity including perforation of the colon (2 horses), renal trauma (1 horse) and a luxated thoracolumbar vertebra (1 horse). From this study, it can be concluded that 1) the prognosis for horses with penetrating thoracic wounds, without extrathoracic injury, is favourable; 2) a thorough evaluation including the abdominal cavity should be performed and 3) horses with axillary wounds should be monitored closely for respiratory distress until the wound has completely healed.
© 1996 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 1996-05-01 PubMed ID: 28976713DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb03776.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The research article discusses the clinical features, treatments, and outcomes of 15 horses that suffered from penetrating thoracic wounds, emphasizing that if there’s no extrathoracic injury, the prognosis is generally positive.
Objective and Method
- This study investigates the clinical features, treatment, and outcome of 15 horses that experienced penetrating thoracic wounds.
- The examination took into account the cause of the trauma, concurrent clinical findings, the wound’s location, presence of foreign bodies, and treatment procedures done on these horses to correlate the result with healing and recovery processes.
Findings
- The most common cause of the wounds was collision with an object, affecting 10 out of the 15 horses.
- Concurrent medical conditions were also found in these horses – subcutaneous emphysema (12 horses), pneumothorax (12 horses), haemothorax (5 horses), and pneumomediastinum (6 horses).
- Foreign bodies were present and successfully removed from 2 of the studied horses.
- 40% of the horses had axillary wounds, and various treatment methods were used for the wounds – suturing was done for 6 horses and packing for the remaining 7.
- Air was removed from the pleural cavities of 11 of the horses to further aid their treatment and recovery.
- Out of the 15, a significant 73% of the horses were discharged from the hospital, indicating a positive treatment outcome.
Conclusion
- The authors concluded that horses with penetrating thoracic wounds usually have a favorable prognosis if there is no extrathoracic injury.
- The study also stressed the importance of comprehensive clinical evaluation, particularly of the abdominal cavity.
- Additionally, the authors suggested that horses with axillary wounds should be closely monitored for signs of respiratory distress until complete wound healing.
- All horses that were euthanized had suffered from severe trauma to structures outside the thoracic cavity, such as the colon, kidneys, and thoracolumbar vertebrae, which further emphasizes the impact of extrathoracic injuries on the treatment prognosis.
Cite This Article
APA
Laverty S, Lavoie JP, Pascoe JR, Ducharme N.
(1996).
Penetrating wounds of the thorax in 15 horses.
Equine Vet J, 28(3), 220-224.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb03776.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, CanadaDepartment of Surgery and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CaliforniaDepartment of Surgery, School of Veterinary, Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, CanadaDepartment of Surgery and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CaliforniaDepartment of Surgery, School of Veterinary, Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, CanadaDepartment of Surgery and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CaliforniaDepartment of Surgery, School of Veterinary, Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
- Département de Sciences Cliniques, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, CanadaDepartment of Surgery and Radiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CaliforniaDepartment of Surgery, School of Veterinary, Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
