Serial gastrointestinal ultrasonography following exploratory celiotomy in normal adult ponies

The objective was to characterize ultrasonographic changes in bowel wall thickness, contractility, degree of distension, luminal contents, and peritoneal fluid associated with exploratory celiotomy in normal ponies. Gastrointestinal ultrasonographic examination was performed in 14 ponies on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 after an exploratory celiotomy. Wall thickness, contractility, degree of distension, and luminal contents were recorded for the duodenum and jejunum. Stomach wall thickness and location, cecal wall thickness, and peritoneal fluid location and character were recorded. Peritoneal fluid was identified most frequently on day 1 (P = 0.0005). Duodenal wall thickness was significantly decreased on day 7 compared with days 1, 3, and 5 suggesting inflammatory thickening postoperatively (P = 0.005). Stomach wall thickness was decreased on day 1 compared with days 3, 5, and 7 (P = 0.03). All measurements, however, were within normal limits. Hypocontractile segments of jejunum were most frequently identified on day 1 (P = 0.02) and hypoechoic contents were identified most frequently in the jejunum on day 1 and the duodenum on day 3, suggesting mild functional ileus or enteritis in the early postoperative period. Our findings support that bowel handling during abdominal exploration causes minimal changes in bowel wall thickness, contractility, degree of distension, luminal contents, and peritoneal fluid. This study was performed in ponies without gastrointestinal disease and further studies are necessary in patients.