Survival and complications after large colon resection and end-to-end anastomosis for strangulating large colon volvulus in seventy-three horses.

The research article outlines the results of a study examining the survival rates and post-operative complications in seventy-three horses that had a surgical procedure to correct a twisted large intestine, known as a volvulus. The procedure involved removing a section of the affected intestine and reconnecting the healthy ends.

Research Methodology

• The research was implemented as a Retrospective case series, reviewing records of 73 horses that needed and underwent large colon resection and end-to-end anastomosis for a strangulating large colon volvulus.
• The cases spanned a ten-year period, from January 1995 to December 2005.
• Follow-up data was collected at least a year after the procedure through telephone questionnaires.
• A Cox proportional hazards model, a statistical model typically used for survival analysis, was used to examine the association between survival time and several variables, including the date of admission, age of the horse, temperature, heart rate, packed cell volume, total plasma protein concentration, white blood cell count, breed, and sex.
• Significance was set at p<.05, meaning that findings with a probability of less than 5% of occurring by chance would be considered statistically significant.

Research Findings

• The most common post-surgery complication was diarrhea.
• The researchers observed that none of the nine variables were statistically significant in terms of survival.
• The survival rates recorded were 74% to discharge, and the overall survival rates at 1, 2, and 3 years post-operation were 67.8%, 66.0%, and 63.5%, respectively.
• Four horses passed away from colic within the first year after surgery.
• All horses that survived longer than a year after the procedure returned to their intended use, whether as brood mares, racehorses, or show horses, and had no chronic issues related to the surgery.

Conclusions

• The research concluded that none of the variables they examined were associated with survival outcomes.
• The researchers noted that their findings were similar to other large studies focusing on surgical colic in horses.
• They also specified that diarrhea is a common, but self-limiting, complication after large colon resection.
• The study concluded that the prognosis for survival after hospital discharge is promising.
• Horses that survive the initial postoperative period and are discharged after a large colon resection and anastomosis are likely to live a healthy life in the long term with minimal negative impacts on their quality of life and usage purpose.