Standing surgical repair of cystorrhexis in two mares

Two surgical techniques were used to evert the bladder into the vagina for observation and repair of bladder tears that were associated with parturition. One technique involved an incision through the vaginal floor into the peritoneal cavity just caudal to the cervix, and prolapse of the bladder into the vagina. The second technique involved a 3-cm incision through the urethra, 5 cm cranial to the urethral orifice, and digital exploration of the tear and finger traction to evert the bladder through the urethral incision. In both mares, the bladder defects were repaired in two layers, with use of 2-0 polyglycolic acid in a simple continuous pattern. After repositioning, the vaginal and urethral incisions were closed in single layers using absorbable suture material. A standing vaginal approach eliminates the need for general anesthesia and allows excellent observation and repair of bladder tears in adult mares.