Abdominocentesis techniques in horses.

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Equine Internal Medicine

Background:

• Abdominocentesis is a common diagnostic technique for evaluating the equine abdominal cavity.
• It provides crucial information for managing medical and surgical abdominal diseases in horses.
• Complications are rare but can include gastrointestinal trauma or infection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the indications, utility, and techniques for performing abdominocentesis in horses.
• To detail patient preparation and potential complications associated with the procedure.
• To provide step-by-step instructions for common abdominocentesis methods.

Main Methods:

• Review of literature on equine abdominocentesis.
• Description of two primary techniques: needle (18 Ga, 3.8 cm) and teat cannula (9.5 cm).
• Instructions cover patient preparation and procedural steps.

Main Results:

• Peritoneal fluid analysis confirms intra-abdominal pathologies like inflammation, infection, neoplasia, obstruction, or strangulation.
• Abdominocentesis is essential for diagnosing colic, diarrhea, and weight loss in horses.
• Needle technique recommended for adult horses; teat cannula for all sizes to minimize enterocentesis risk.

Conclusions:

• Abdominocentesis is integral to diagnosing equine abdominal conditions, guiding further diagnostic and therapeutic plans.
• It is a key component of colic diagnostic testing in both referral and field settings.
• While ultrasonography is helpful, it's not essential for successful abdominocentesis.