Transcutaneous Detection of Intramural Microchips for Tracking the Migration of the Equine Large Colon: A Pilot Study.
Abstract: Colic remains the number one cause of mortality in horses, and large colon displacement including colonic volvulus is one of the leading causes for equine hospitalization and surgery. Currently, there is not an adequate model to study the pathophysiology of this condition. The objective of this proof-of-concept study was to determine if subserosal implantation of bioinert microchips in the large intestine would be detectable by a RFID (radio-frequency identification) receiver when the implanted microchips were adjacent to the body wall, thus identifying the location of the colon within the abdomen. A horse with no history of gastrointestinal disease underwent a ventral midline celiotomy to implant twelve bioinert microchips into the subserosa at predetermined locations within the large colon and cecum. A RFID scanner was used to monitor the location of the colon via transcutaneous identification 1-3 times daily for a one-month period. Following humane euthanasia, a postmortem examination of the horse was performed to assess microchip implantation sites for migration and histologic assessment. Eleven out of the 12 implanted microchips were successfully identified transcutaneously at occurrences as high as 100%. Odds ratios were calculated for the likelihood of identifying each chip in a location different from its most common location. Microchips implanted into the subserosa of the equine large colon can be used as a means of identifying the approximate location of the equine large colon via transcutaneous identification with an RFID scanner.
Publication Date: 2022-12-05 PubMed ID: 36496942PubMed Central: PMC9735868DOI: 10.3390/ani12233421Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research is focused on developing a technique to track the migration of the horse’s large colon using specially implanted microchips. The aim is to better understand and help manage colic conditions in horses, which is a primary cause of mortality.
Objective of the Study
- The main goal of this proof-of-concept study was to discover if implanting bioinert microchips on the large intestine would be locatable by a radio-frequency identification (RFID) device when the chips were near to the body wall. This information could shed light on the colon’s position within the abdomen.
Study Methodology
- A horse without prior gastrointestinal disease was chosen for the study. The researchers carried out a ventral midline celiotomy surgery to implant 12 bioinert microchips into the subserosa at certain positions within the large colon and cecum.
- An RFID scanner was employed to monitor the colon’s location. This was done transcutaneously, i.e. through the skin, one to three times each day for a month.
- The horse was then euthanized humanely to allow for a postmortem examination, assessing the sites of the microchip implants for migration and histological study.
Findings of the Study
- The RFID technique successfully identified 11 out of 12 implanted microchips transcutaneously. The identification rate was as high as 100% in certain cases.
- The probabilities of detecting each chip in a different location than its most common spot were calculated using odds ratios.
Conclusion
- According to the research’s findings, the embedding of microchips into the subserosa of the large colon in horses could serve as an effective solution for locating the large colon transcutaneously with an RFID scanner.
- This technique could potentially be valuable for studying and managing colic, a critical condition in horses, by monitoring the colon’s migration within the abdomen.
Cite This Article
APA
Steward SK, McKee HM, Watson AM, Salman MD, Hassel DM.
(2022).
Transcutaneous Detection of Intramural Microchips for Tracking the Migration of the Equine Large Colon: A Pilot Study.
Animals (Basel), 12(23), 3421.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12233421 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Grant Funding
- n/a / Department of Clinical Sciences Faculty Grant, Colorado State University
- n/a / Veterinary Summer Scholars Program: USDA-NIFA
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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