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Equine veterinary journal2023; 55(6); 1045-1057; doi: 10.1111/evj.13920

Standing surgery among equine board certified surgeons: Survey regarding current use and trends.

Abstract: Publications about equine standing surgery are flourishing, however, information regarding its use and prevalence among surgeons is still limited. Objective: To determine the current use and recent trends for equine standing surgery among board certified surgeons and to identify the main reasons and limitations for performing a procedure standing. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: A 139-item questionnaire was sent by email to 733 large animal surgery Diplomates (ACVS and ECVS) from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey collected demographic information and general data regarding standing surgery before being divided into seven identical sections for each body system, involving 36 standing procedures. Results: The survey response rate was 29.7% (218/733). Most respondents (58.9%, 126/214) had performed standing surgery for <10 years regardless of length of time they were board certified (48.2% board certified <10 years and 51.8% >10 years). Most respondents (range: 50.0%-92.9%, mean 69.5%) changed from performing 14/36 surgeries under general anaesthesia (GA) to standing within the previous 10 years and had always performed 8/36 surgeries standing (51.6%-73.9%, mean 61.4%) regardless of board certification time. Surgeons board certified <10 years ago performed more often 3/36 listed procedures standing than those board certified >10 years ago (p < 0.05). Avoiding GA (179/218) and/or reducing procedure cost (111/218) were the two main reasons to perform standing surgeries whereas the horse's behaviour (183/218) and/or the patient size/age (94/218) were the two main limiting factors. Conclusions: Low response rate. Results biased towards the opinion of a subgroup of surgeons, those performing standing surgery. Some standing procedures were not included in the survey. Conclusions: The use of standing surgery is well established among board certified surgeons and progressively increasing, especially in the last 10 years and among recent Diplomates. With increased training and awareness, more Diplomates may be encouraged towards performing standing surgeries.
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Publication Date: 2023-02-02 PubMed ID: 36586731DOI: 10.1111/evj.13920Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 conducted a survey among board certified surgeons to understand the trends and extent of use of standing surgery in horses. The findings indicated that standing surgery is widely used and has been increasingly adopted over the last decade, mainly due to its cost-effectiveness and to avoid general anesthesia.

Research Methodology

  • The researchers conducted a cross-sectional survey from November 2020 to February 2021 using a comprehensive 139-item questionnaire.
  • The target respondents were large animal surgery Diplomates who were board certified under the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and European College of Veterinary Surgeons. A total of 733 Diplomates were reached via email.
  • The questionnaire collected demographic data and generic information regarding the use of standing surgery by these professionals. Further, it detailed seven sections corresponding to each body system, covering a total of 36 standing procedures.

Research Findings

  • The survey received a response rate of 29.7% (218 out of 733). Out of these respondents, 58.9% had been performing standing surgery for less than 10 years, irrespective of when they were board certified. In fact, almost half of them had been board certified for less than a decade, while the rest had been qualified for over 10 years.
  • Over the past decade, a majority of these veterinarians shifted from performing certain surgeries under general anesthesia to standing surgery. Eight out of the thirty-six surveyed procedures were always performed in standing position, irrespective of board certification duration.
  • Respondents who were certified less than 10 years ago were more likely to perform three particular procedures in standing position than those certified over a decade ago.
  • A significant motivator for the shift to standing surgery was cost-effectiveness and the avoidance of general anesthesia. However, factors limiting the use of standing surgery were the horse’s behavior and the patient’s size or age.

Research Conclusions

  • Given the low response rate, the results of the study might be more reflective of a subgroup of surgeons who are already performing standing surgery. Some standing procedures were not included in the survey, which potentially leaves gaps in the findings.
  • Nevertheless, the survey revealed the increased adoption and established use of standing surgery among board certified surgeons, particularly in the last 10 years.
  • The researchers suggest that with further training and awareness, more Diplomates could be motivated to perform more standing surgeries.

Cite This Article

APA
Bonomelli N, Bonilla AG. (2023). Standing surgery among equine board certified surgeons: Survey regarding current use and trends. Equine Vet J, 55(6), 1045-1057. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13920

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 55
Issue: 6
Pages: 1045-1057

Researcher Affiliations

Bonomelli, Natacha
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.
Bonilla, Alvaro G
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Montreal, Saint Hyacinthe, Q, Canada.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Muñoz AM, Cribb N. Laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy in 10 equids using a single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) port device. Can Vet J 2025 Sep;66(9):966-973.
    pubmed: 40927255
  2. Obrochta B, Tapio H, Raekallio M, Gracia Calvo LA, Pöyhönen RR, Hagman K, Jantunen N, Karikoski N. Effects of vatinoxan on gastrointestinal motility, sedation, and antinociception during and after long-lasting detomidine infusion in horses. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):212-219.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14499pubmed: 40110892google scholar: lookup
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