Signalment, clinical features, and outcome for male horses with urethral rents following perineal urethrotomy or corpus spongiotomy: 33 cases (1989-2013).
Abstract: OBJECTIVE To describe the signalment, clinical features, and outcome for male horses with urethral rents following perineal urethrotomy (PU) or corpus spongiotomy (CS). DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 33 horses. PROCEDURES Medical records of male horses examined because of hematuria or hemospermia caused by urethral rents that underwent PU or CS at a referral hospital between 1989 and 2013 were reviewed. Data regarding signalment, clinical features, urethroscopic findings, surgical treatment, and outcome were recorded. Long-term follow-up information was obtained by telephone interviews. RESULTS Age of the study population ranged from 3 to 18 years. Nineteen geldings and 1 stallion were examined because of hematuria, of which 13 and 7 underwent PU and CS, respectively, at a mean of 56 days after onset of clinical signs. Thirteen stallions were examined because of hemospermia, of which 7 and 6 underwent PU and CS, respectively, at a mean of 193 days after onset of clinical signs. Hematuria resolved following 1 surgical procedure in all 17 horses for which long-term information was available. Of the 12 stallions for which long-term information was available, 7 had resolution of hemospermia after 1 PU or CS and 5 developed recurrent hemospermia that required additional PUs or CSs (n = 3) or primary closure of the urethral rent (2). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that PU and CS were reliable treatments for resolution of hematuria in male horses with urethral rents; stallions with urethral rents may require multiple PUs or CSs or primary closure of the rent for resolution of hemospermia.
Publication Date: 2016-12-03 PubMed ID: 27901454DOI: 10.2460/javma.249.12.1421Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study looks at the characteristics, clinical symptoms, and outcomes of male horses who had split urinary tracts following perineal urethrotomy or corpus spongiotomy surgeries. It was found that these procedures were reliable treatments for resolving blood in urine in male horses. However, in stallions, multiple surgeries or the primary closure of the split may be required to resolve bloody semen.
Objective and Design
- The objective of this study was to understand the clinical symptoms and potential outcomes in male horses who suffered from urethral rents – a term referring to tears or splits in the urinary system. These conditions commonly occur post perineal urethrotomy (PU) or corpus spongiotomy (CS) – both being surgical interventions.
- The study is designed as a retrospective case series, meaning it analyzed cases of urethral rents in male horses that underwent PU or CS from 1989 to 2013 in a referral hospital. The case series enrolled 33 horses in total.
Methods and Findings
- The research included reviewing medical records of the selected horses and collecting data regarding the symptoms, urethroscopic findings, surgical treatment, and outcomes.
- Out of the 33 horses, 19 geldings and one stallion had a history of blood in urine. Among these 20 horses, 13 underwent PU and 7 underwent CS. These surgeries happened on average 56 days after the onset of the symptoms.
- Another 13 stallions were examined for bloody semen. Of these, 7 and 6 underwent PU and CS, respectively, at a mean of 193 days after the onset of symptoms.
Outcomes
- Long-term follow-up indicated the surgical procedure successfully resolved the issue of hematuria (blood in urine) in all 17 horses for which this information was available.
- Of the 12 stallions followed up long-term, 5 developed recurrent hemospermia (bloody semen) that required additional surgeries or primary closure of the urethral rents. The other 7 stallions saw resolution of hemospermia after the first surgery.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
- The study concluded that both PU and CS are dependable treatments for resolving hematuria in male horses with urethral rents.
- However, stallions with this condition may require multiple surgeries or primary closure of the rent for resolution of hemospermia.
Cite This Article
APA
Glass KG, Arnold CE, Varner DD, Chaffin MK, Schumacher J.
(2016).
Signalment, clinical features, and outcome for male horses with urethral rents following perineal urethrotomy or corpus spongiotomy: 33 cases (1989-2013).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 249(12), 1421-1427.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.249.12.1421 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Hematuria / etiology
- Hematuria / surgery
- Hematuria / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Penis / surgery
- Ureterostomy / veterinary
- Urethra / pathology
- Urethra / surgery
- Urethral Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- Wright S. Highlights of recent clinically relevant papers.. Equine Vet Educ 2017 Apr;29(4):178-179.
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