The effects of EDTA-Tris infusion on the equine endometrium.

This study evaluated the impact of a treatment of EDTA-Tris solution on the inner lining of the uterus of pony mares, finding that the solution did not cause harm and might be beneficial in addressing uterine infections.

Experiment Design

• Four groups of five pony mares were used in the study, and each group was subject to a different procedure, allowing for the comparison of effects. The four different treatments were: injection with saline solution, injection with EDTA-Tris solution, biopsy of the uterine lining, or a sham-biopsy without any actual collection of tissue.

Results: Incidence of Post-Treatment Endometritis

• Endometritis, inflammation of the endometrium (the inner lining of the uterus), was noted in either 20% or 60% of the mares in the different groups in the week following the procedure. However, the researchers found no significant difference in the frequency of inflammations among all groups.

Results: Long Term Impact on Endometrium

• No instances of endometrial fibrosis, a condition in which endometrial tissue becomes thicker due to the accumulation of fibrous tissue, were found in the biopsies taken 14, 30, and 60 days after the saline or EDTA-Tris infusion. This suggests that neither of the solutions led to longer-term harm for the uterine lining.

Conclusion

• The study concluded that infusions of saline and EDTA-Tris resulted in similar outcomes for the mares, indicating that EDTA-Tris does not cause harm to the uterine lining. As such, the researchers suggested that EDTA-Tris might be a useful supplement in treating uterine infections in mares, probably due to its known antimicrobial properties.