Pulmonary micro-embolism following orthopaedic surgery in a Thoroughbred gelding.
Abstract: A NUMBER of post general anaesthetic complications are
known to occur in the horse and are well documented (Heath
1981). These include post anaesthetic forelimb lameness o r
ischaemic myopathy (so-called 'radial paralysis') (Trim and
Mason 1974) and spinal cord degeneration (Brearley, Jones,
Kelly and Cox 1986). The only postoperative respiratory
complication which has been documented in the horse is
postoperative hypoxaemia (Gillespie, Hall and 3 1 e r 1969;
Waterman, Jones and Richards 1982).
In a report of the post mortem examinations of 185 injured
human patients who died following the treatment of injuries,
lung microthrombi were present in 33 per cent of them (Eeles
and Sevitt 1967). The condition has also been described in
patients who died following surgery in which the blood supply
to the lower limbs was interrupted (Blaisdell et a1 1966).
lntravascular platelet aggregates have been demonstrated in
human femoral vein blood and the number has been shown to
increase with time during anaesthesia. Their concentration has
been used t o assess the degree of postoperative pulmonary
dysfunction (McCollum and Campbell 1979). The authors
report here the death of a case following anaesthesia in which
pulmonary micro-embolism was found, typical of that occur-
ring in other species. Our objective is to alert clinicians to the
need to administer oxygen in similar cases and, in the event of
a fatal outcome, of the need to pay close attention to the
pulmonary pathology.
Publication Date: 1988-09-01 PubMed ID: 3181124DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01552.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research article focuses on a case study of a Thoroughbred gelding which developed pulmonary micro-embolism, a rare post-operative complication, following an orthopaedic surgery performed under general anaesthesia. The authors aim to create awareness among clinicians about such rare complications and highlight the importance of administering oxygen to manage them.
Complications Post General Anaesthesia in Horses
- The paper states that some well-documented post-anaesthetic complications exist in horses. These include forelimb lameness or ischaemic myopathy, also known as radial paralysis, and spinal cord degeneration.
- The only respiratory postoperative complication that has been previously documented in horses is postoperative hypoxaemia, a condition characterized by low levels of oxygen in the blood after surgery.
Pulmonary Micro-Embolism in Human Patients
- The authors reference studies conducted on humans, where post mortem examinations revealed the presence of lung microthrombi, which are tiny blood clots, in 33 per cent of the patients who died post-treatment of injuries.
- It is also noted that the condition has been described in patients who’ve undergone surgery that disturbs the blood supply to the lower limbs.
- A significant point made is about intravascular platelet aggregates in human femoral vein blood, and how their number can increase with time during anaesthesia. This concentration could be used to evaluate the extent of postoperative pulmonary dysfunction.
Case Study of Pulmonary Micro-Embolism in a Thoroughbred Gelding
- The researchers document a case where a Thoroughbred gelding died following anaesthesia due to pulmonary micro-embolism. This occurrence was akin to those found in other species.
- The main purpose of the authors is to prompt clinicians and veterinary professionals to consider the possibility of developing similar complications. They are encouraged to utilize oxygen administration in such cases and closely examine the pulmonary pathology for traces of micro-embolism in the case of mortal outcomes.
Cite This Article
APA
Jones RS, Payne-Johnson CE, Seymour CJ.
(1988).
Pulmonary micro-embolism following orthopaedic surgery in a Thoroughbred gelding.
Equine Vet J, 20(5), 382-384.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1988.tb01552.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Anaesthesia, University of Liverpool.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses / injuries
- Horses / surgery
- Humeral Fractures / surgery
- Humeral Fractures / veterinary
- Leg Injuries / surgery
- Leg Injuries / veterinary
- Male
- Postoperative Complications / veterinary
- Pulmonary Embolism / etiology
- Pulmonary Embolism / pathology
- Pulmonary Embolism / veterinary
- Ulna Fractures / surgery
- Ulna Fractures / veterinary
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