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Risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses
A J Roussel1, N D Cohen, R N Hooper
1Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Summary
Identifying risk factors like Arabian breed and prolonged surgery can help predict and prevent postoperative ileus in horses. Early intervention and shorter surgery times may reduce the incidence of this common complication.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Surgery
- Equine Medicine
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Postoperative ileus is a common complication in horses following colic surgery.
- Identifying predictive factors is crucial for proactive management and improved outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify risk factors associated with the development of postoperative ileus in horses undergoing colic surgery.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted.
- Data from 69 horses with postoperative ileus and 307 control horses were analyzed.
- Signalment, history, clinicopathologic data, treatment, lesions, and outcome were collected from medical records.
Main Results:
- Increased risk was associated with age over 10 years, Arabian breed, packed cell volume (PCV) ≥ 45%, high serum protein and albumin, anesthesia > 2.5 hours, surgery > 2 hours, resection and anastomosis, and small intestinal lesions.
- Enterotomy was associated with a reduced risk.
- Multivariate analysis identified Arabian breed, PCV ≥ 45%, lesion type, surgery duration > 2 hours, and pelvic flexure enterotomy as significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- Certain factors can help identify horses at higher risk for postoperative ileus before its development.
- Proactive treatment and early intervention strategies can be implemented for at-risk horses.
- Shortening surgical duration and performing enterotomies may decrease the incidence of postoperative ileus.