Transillumination Techniques for Vessel Identification During Small Colon Resection in Six Horses.

The research article describes how transillumination, a technique in which light is passed through tissues to visualize internal structures, can be used to easily identify and ligate blood vessels during the surgical procedure of small colon resection and anastomosis in horses.

Background of the Study

• The authors decided to conduct this research because while transillumination has been used in human surgery, its use in veterinary medicine has not been described.
• They aimed to explain how transillumination of the mesocolon – the tissue attaching the horse’s small colon to the posterior abdominal wall – can enhance vessel identification during surgical procedures.
• The specific procedure in focus was the resection and anastomosis of the small colon in horses, something typically done for acute colic cases.

Methodology

• The authors recorded data from six horses that underwent small colon resection and anastomosis.
• They used two different techniques of transillumination during these procedures.
• In the first technique, applied on three horses, the operating lamp was positioned so as to illuminate the mesentery between the lamp and the surgeon’s eyes while the colon was lifted by an assistant surgeon.
• In the second technique, a smartphone with its rear flashlight on was covered in a sterile sleeve and placed on the surgical field. The small colon to be resected was laid over this light source to backlight the vessels.

Results and Analysis

• Both transillumination techniques were successful in illuminating the mesocolon, thus facilitating easy identification, dissection, and ligation of the vessels.
• Despite no reported difference in surgical outcome, the use of the smartphone technique was subjectively reported to provide a better operating position for the surgeon and less fatigue for the assistant.
• The researchers concluded that transillumination techniques, particularly the use of a smartphone flashlight, are effective tools to avoid damage when ligating vessels during small colon resection and anastomosis in horses.