Survival of horses following strangulating large colon volvulus.

The research article examines the long-term survival rates of horses with large colon volvulus (LCV), or twisted intestines, and identifies factors that can predict survival following surgery.

Research Objective and Methodology

• The researchers aimed to gather data to better understand the long-term survival of horses with a severe form of twisted intestines (LCV) and to recognize the pre-, intra-, and post-operative factors associated with survival.
• The study analyzed clinical data and followed up on 116 horses that underwent general anesthesia for LCV surgery. The severity of the LCV was severe, with a twist of 360 degrees or more.
• Two predictive models were built using Cox proportional hazards models to correlate the variables with post-operative survival time. The first model considered all horses and only pre-operative variables, while the second model only included horses that survived the anesthesia and examined pre-, intra-, and post-operative variables.

Results and Key Findings

• Out of the total population, 76.7% of horses survived general anesthesia. From these survivors, the percentage of horses that survived until being discharged, to one year and to two years post-operation were 70.7%, 48.3%, and 33.7%, respectively.
• The median survival time for horses that survived the anesthesia was 365 days.
• The preoperative factor that significantly reduced postoperative survival, examined through Model 1, was an increased preoperative packed cell volume (PCV) – a measurement of the proportion of blood that is made up of cells.
• From Model 2, variables that notably reduced postoperative survival included abnormal serosal colour (the colour of the lining of the abdomen found during surgery), a faster heart rate at 48 hours post-surgery, and the occurrence of colic (severe abdominal discomfort) during post operative hospitalisation.

Conclusions

• The researchers found that long-term survival in horses with a LCV was associated with factors such as preoperative PCV, serosal colour during surgery, heart rate 48 hours post-surgery, and colic during postoperative hospitalisation.
• This study provides a data-based understanding of horses’ long-term survival with LCV and suggests factors that veterinarians and owners might consider when making decisions about treatment and prognosis.