Surgical enlargement of the epiploic foramen in horses
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Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Surgical Closure of Equine Abdomen, Prevention, and Management of Incisional Complications
Published on: May 10, 2024
Meghan A Wanstrath1, Anje G Bauck2, Andrew D Smith3
1Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA.
Objective:
To assess the safety and efficacy of a method for digitally enlarging the caudal aspect of the epiploic foramen (EF).
Study Design:
Healthy horses and clinical cases of EF entrapment (EFE).
Animals:
Fourteen healthy horses and three clinical cases.
Methods:
Through a ventral midline celiotomy under general anesthesia, the EF was enlarged by digital separation of the caudal attachments of the caudate lobe of the liver from right dorsal colon, right kidney, gastropancreatic fold, and pancreas. Healthy horses were euthanized under anesthesia, and the enlarged EF was measured at necropsy.
Results:
The method used for enlarging the EF did not cause clinically relevant hemorrhage, as determined by visual inspection of the EF in 14 horses at necropsy and by vital parameters under anesthesia in all horses. In clinical cases, EFE was reduced following enlargement of the EF, and no intraoperative complications were encountered. In one clinical case, necropsy at 30 days confirmed partial closure of the enlarged EF.
Conclusion:
The method proposed enlarged the EF safely and effectively. Limitations of the study include the small number of clinical cases and the lack of postoperative follow-up on the healthy horses.
Clinical Significance:
Enlargement of the EF at its caudal extent should be considered in selected cases of EFE in which manual reduction is difficult or protracted. Although the procedure was safe in this study, knowledge of the anatomy, practice on cadavers, and careful selection of cases with greatest need are recommended before clinical use.
