The effectiveness of the haemodialysate Solcoseryl for second-intention wound healing in horses and ponies.

The research article discusses a study that investigates the effectiveness of Solcoseryl, a haemodialysate derived from calf blood, in promoting second-intention healing of deep wounds in horses and ponies. The study found that while Solcoseryl stimulated initial wound healing in the first four weeks, it later inhibited the process.

Study Design and Methodology

• The study was conducted on five horses and five ponies. Deep wounds of 20 by 35mm were created on different parts of their bodies. These wounds were on both the metatarsi (skin, subcutis, periosteum) and on both femoral biceps muscles (skin, subcutis, muscle).
• One set of the wounds were treated with Solcoseryl four times a week during the bandaged phase and once daily afterward.
• The wounds on the other side were left untreated to serve as a control group.

Results and Findings

• In the first four weeks of treatment, Solcoseryl was found to stimulate wound healing. However, it seemed to inhibit the healing process after this initial period. This distinctive pattern was significant across all wound groups.
• Solcoseryl seemed to enhance initial healing by inducing a more significant inflammatory response, faster wound contraction, and quicker formation of granulation tissue – the new connective tissue and microscopic blood vessels that form on the surfaces of a wound during the healing process.
• The haemodialysate was later seen to delay wound healing, as it significantly postponed epithelialization – the process of the skin’s surface layer re-forming over a wound – and extended the duration of inflammation.
• The magnitude of Solcoseryl’s effects were found to be more pronounced in horses compared to ponies.

Interpretation and Implication of Findings

• The research distinguished between contraction and epithelialization – two crucial phases of wound healing. While Solcoseryl stimulated wound contraction, it inhibited epithelialization.
• Given these findings, the substance can be beneficial for the treatment of deep wounds in horses during the initial phase of second-intention healing or wound contraction.
• However, the use of Solcoseryl should be discontinued when epithelialization becomes the predominant phase of healing to prevent the delay and extended inflammation caused by the treatment.