Surgical reduction of ileal impactions in the horse: 28 cases.
Abstract: To evaluate the seasonal influence, signalment, type of hay consumed, clinical examination findings, and outcome after surgery for horses with ileal impaction. Methods: A retrospective study. Results: Between 1988 and 1993, 28 horses had surgical correction of ileal impaction. There was a significantly higher rate of ileal impaction during the Fall (September-November, P = .0041 ). Mean duration of clinical signs of abdominal pain before referral was 15 hours. Transrectal palpation was used to localize the impaction in 11 horses. The ileal impaction was reduced by extraluminal massage aided by admixing of intestinal fluid oral to the impaction or injection of fluids intraluminally and then movement of the ingesta into the cecum alone in 24 horses. A total of 26 horses recovered from surgery; 24 horses were discharged from the hospital and eventually returned to previous use. Two horses had fatal postoperative complications: jejunocecostomy dehiscence and development of extensive small intestine adhesions after manual reduction of the impaction. One horse initially treated by manual reduction required jejunocecostomy twice for management of recurrent ileal impaction. Follow-up information was obtained for 21 horses, of which 20 were alive 1 year or longer after surgery. A total of 27 of 28 horses were fed Coastal Bermudagrass hay as the primary type of hay consumed. A total of 9 horses continued to be fed Coastal Bermudagrass hay as the only roughage source, whereas 6 horses were fed Coastal Bermudagrass with at least 50% other hay, and in 6 horses, Coastal Bermudagrass hay was entirely eliminated from the diet. Conclusions: Ileal impactions can be successfully reduced by celiotomy and extraluminal massage and injection techniques to soften the ingesta for passage into the cecum without enterotomy or bypass techniques in most horses. Changes in weather and feeding practices in the Fall may account for an increased risk of ileal impaction in horses in the southeastern United States at that time of year.
Publication Date: 1998-12-09 PubMed ID: 9845219DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950x.1998.tb00531.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research article investigates the factors affecting ileal impaction in horses and the efficacy of surgical treatment methods, revealing that proper surgical techniques, proper dietary alterations, and avoiding certain weather conditions can effectively reduce ileal impaction in horses.
Objective and Methodology
The aim of this research was to analyze the different factors that might affect the incidence of ileal impactions in horses. These include seasonal influence, signalment, type of hay consumed, and outcomes after surgery.
The researchers conducted a retrospective study of 28 horses which underwent surgical correction of ileal impaction between 1988 and 1993.
Results Summary
The findings from this study revealed various important points:
- There was a significantly higher rate of ileal impaction in horses during the fall season.
- On average, horses showed signs of abdominal pain 15 hours prior to referral.
- Transrectal palpation was used to localize the impaction in 11 out of the 28 horses.
- The majority of impactions were reduced through extraluminal massage aided by admixing of intestinal fluid or injection of fluids intraluminally.
- Twenty-six out of twenty-eight horses recovered from surgery, and two encountered fatal postoperative complications.
- Coastal Bermudagrass hay, which was the primary type of hay consumed by 27 out of 28 horses, might have contributed to ileal impaction.
- After surgery, some horses continued the consumption of Coastal Bermudagrass hay while others were switched to different types of hay or eliminated it from their diet entirely.
Conclusions
The study concluded that ileal impactions in horses can successfully be minimized by using appropriate surgical techniques like celiotomy and extraluminal massage. Changes in weather during the fall season and feeding practices may account for the increased risk of ileal impaction in the southeastern United States. The study also suggested that altering the feed, specifically reducing or eliminating the consumption of Coastal Bermudagrass hay, could help to prevent ileal impactions.
Cite This Article
APA
Hanson RR, Wright JC, Schumacher J, Baird AN, Humburg J, Pugh DG.
(1998).
Surgical reduction of ileal impactions in the horse: 28 cases.
Vet Surg, 27(6), 555-560.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-950x.1998.tb00531.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Surgery and Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849-5522, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Colic / etiology
- Colic / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Ileal Diseases / epidemiology
- Ileal Diseases / surgery
- Ileal Diseases / veterinary
- Intestinal Obstruction / epidemiology
- Intestinal Obstruction / surgery
- Intestinal Obstruction / veterinary
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Seasons
- Southeastern United States / epidemiology
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Ruff J, Zetterstrom S, Boone L, Hofmeister E, Smith C, Epstein K, Blikslager A, Fogle C, Burke M. Retrospective analysis of postoperative complications following surgical treatment of ileal impaction in horses managed with manual decompression compared to jejunal enterotomy. Front Vet Sci 2023;10:1156678.
- Giusto G, Cerullo A, Labate F, Gandini M. Incomplete Ileocecal Bypass for Ileal Pathology in Horses: 21 Cases (2012-2019). Animals (Basel) 2021 Feb 5;11(2).
- Holliday B, Doyle A, Oakley M, Wilson R. Buccal feed impaction and surgical correction in captive reindeer. Can Vet J 2017 Jun;58(6):582-584.
- Davis HA, Munsterman A. Ileal impaction and jejunal enterotomy in a 4-month-old Arabian filly. Can Vet J 2012 Jan;53(1):71-4.
- Fleming K, Mueller PO. Ileal impaction in 245 horses: 1995-2007. Can Vet J 2011 Jul;52(7):759-63.
- Archer DC, Pinchbeck GL, Proudman CJ, Clough HE. Is equine colic seasonal? Novel application of a model based approach. BMC Vet Res 2006 Aug 24;2:27.
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