Ventral abdominal approach for laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses.

This research paper is about a surgical procedure called laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses, using a ventral abdominal approach. The abstract shares findings from removing ovaries of 11 mares and 4 mules, where this approach led to efficient and safe surgeries.

The Surgical Procedure

• The study utilized a ventral abdominal laparoscopic technique for the ovariectomy.
• The surgery table was tilted around 30 degrees, to elevate the pelvism, providing visibility of ovaries.
• The researchers used a triangulation technique with a single laparoscopic portal and four instrument portals.
• Ovarian pedicles were ligated and ovaries removed through a single enlarged instrument portal.

The Test Subjects

• The test subjects included 11 mares and four mules that varied in age from 5 months up to 18 years.
• Signs of estrus (heat) were observed in two mares within six months following ovariectomy.
• All the owners reported satisfaction with the results of this technique.

Operative Time

• The mean operative time was 44 minutes, the range varying between 20 to 90 minutes.
• The mean operative time for the last seven animals was shorter, at 26 minutes.

Postoperative Observations

• In the immediate postoperative period, symptoms of abdominal pain were noticed in three mules and one mare.
• Peritoneal fluid collected from six animals 48 hours after the surgery displayed a mean leukocyte count of 34,463/microL, mean protein concentration of 3.1g/dL, and mean differential leukocyte count of 74% neutrophils and 26% mononuclear cells.
• Post-surgery, the animals were confined for 2 weeks.

Conclusions

• The research concludes that the ventral abdominal laparoscopic method allows for efficient and safe ovariectomies, not only for adult horses but also for foals.
• By using this technique, the average surgery time could be reduced and the risk of complications mitigated, increasing the owner’s satisfaction level with the procedure.