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Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / Surgical treatment of equine colic – a retrospective s...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2014; 56(1); 38; doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-38

Surgical treatment of equine colic – a retrospective study of 297 surgeries in Norway 2005-2011.

Abstract: Colic, defined as pain originating from the abdomen, is a common condition in horses. Most of the cases resolve spontaneously or after medical treatment, but a few require surgical treatment. Surgical treatment of colic in horses is resource-demanding and expensive, and information on prognosis is therefore important for both owners and surgeons. In the present study, surgical cases in two equine hospitals in Norway between 2005 and 2011 were reviewed. The aim of the study was to describe associations between prognostic indicators, diagnoses and short term survival by use of random effects logistic regression. Results: In the present study, 162 out of 297 (54.5%) surgeries resulted in the horse being discharged from the hospital. Excluding cases euthanized during surgery, the overall short-term survival was 74.0% (162 out of 219 surgeries). Seventy-eight (26.3%) of the horses were euthanized during surgery, due to grave or poor prognosis. In univariable analyses, duration of colic signs, heart rate, capillary refill time, mucosal membrane appearance, intestinal sounds, affected gastrointestinal segment, hematocrit, intestinal resection, hospital and surgeon board-certification had P-value <0.20 and were assessed in multivariable analyses. Respiration rate, rectal temperature and lactate in blood also had univariable P <0.20, but were left out from multivariable analyses due to too high levels of missing values. A random effect of primary surgeon was included and breed, sex and age were tested in multivariable analyses as possible confounders; and hospital was included to control for hospital routine differences. In the final multivariable model the variables mucosal membrane appearance, affected gastrointestinal segment and surgeon board-certification significantly influenced survival. The random surgeon effect was not significant. Conclusions: The present study showed that prognostic parameters and diagnoses of surgical treatment of horses with colic in Norway are in accordance with reports from other parts of the world. The significant effect of board-certification of surgeon is not reported in previous studies. The general short-term survival rate was somewhat lower than reported in other studies, partly due to more horses being euthanized intraoperatively in the present study. This might be because of economical or animal welfare reasons.
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Publication Date: 2014-06-16 PubMed ID: 24934123PubMed Central: PMC4077634DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-38Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

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The research paper examines the prognosis and short-term survival rate of horses that underwent surgical treatment for colic in two hospitals in Norway between 2005 and 2011. The study found that surgeon board-certification, the appearance of the mucosa membrane, and the affected gastrointestinal segment were significant factors influencing survival outcomes.

Study Purpose and Method

  • The study aimed to assess the prognosis and short-term survival of horses that required surgical intervention for colic in two equine hospitals in Norway over a seven-year period.
  • The researchers used a random effect logistic regression model to determine associations between prognostic indicators (e.g., duration of colic signs, heart rate), diagnoses, and survival rates.
  • Outcomes for 297 surgeries were reviewed, capturing variables such as breed, sex, age, and characteristics of the primary surgeon.

Results of the Analysis

  • Of the 297 surgeries performed, more than half of the horses (162) survived and were discharged.
  • If excluding horses that were euthanized during surgery, the short-term survival rate increased to 74.0%. A total of 78 horses were euthanized during surgery due to poor prognosis.
  • Mucosal membrane appearance, the affected gastrointestinal segment, heart and respiration rates, capillary refill time, intestinal sounds, hematocrit levels, and the presence of board-certification in the surgeon were significant factors associated with survival.
  • Of these, specifically, the appearance of the mucosal membrane, the impacted gastrointestinal segment, and the board-certification of the surgeon significantly influenced survival.
  • The random effect of the primary surgeon was tested but did not significantly impact survival rates.

Conclusions and Implications

  • The findings of this study align with previous studies carried out globally on the prognostic parameters and diagnoses of colic in horses. However, the effect of board-certification of surgeons has not been reported in previous studies, indicating a potential area for future research.
  • The short-term survival rate was somewhat lower compared to other studies, possibly due to a higher rate of intraoperative euthanization in the present study, which might be attributed to economical or animal welfare reasons.
  • The study underscores the importance of certain prognostic indicators and surgical factors in determining the outcome of surgical treatment for equine colic. Understanding these factors can provide useful insights for both horse owners and surgeons.

Cite This Article

APA
Wormstrand BH, Ihler CF, Diesen R, Krontveit RI. (2014). Surgical treatment of equine colic – a retrospective study of 297 surgeries in Norway 2005-2011. Acta Vet Scand, 56(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-56-38

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 56
Issue: 1
Pages: 38

Researcher Affiliations

Wormstrand, Bjørn H
  • Department of Companion Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P,O, Box 8146 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Norway. bjorn.wormstrand@gmail.com.
Ihler, Carl F
    Diesen, Ragnhild
      Krontveit, Randi I

        MeSH Terms

        • Animals
        • Colic / diagnosis
        • Colic / mortality
        • Colic / surgery
        • Colic / veterinary
        • Female
        • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
        • Horse Diseases / mortality
        • Horse Diseases / surgery
        • Horses
        • Logistic Models
        • Male
        • Norway / epidemiology
        • Postoperative Complications / diagnosis
        • Postoperative Complications / mortality
        • Postoperative Complications / veterinary
        • Prognosis
        • Retrospective Studies
        • Surgery, Veterinary
        • Time Factors

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