Ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block increases intestinal motility in normal horses

Area of Science:

• Veterinary medicine
• Equine internal medicine
• Interventional radiology

Background:

• Celiac plexus block is a procedure to manage abdominal pain.
• Ultrasound guidance can improve the accuracy of blocks.
• Intestinal motility is crucial for equine health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an ultrasound-guided technique for celiac plexus block in horses.
• To evaluate the effect of this block on intestinal motility in healthy horses.

Main Methods:

• A dye study in 6 horses confirmed accurate deposition around the celiac plexus.
• In 6 healthy horses, intestinal motility was assessed via ultrasound before and after celiac plexus block with lidocaine.
• Motility was scored using a blinded, randomized system.

Main Results:

• Postmortem dissection confirmed dye deposition over celiac plexus branches.
• Ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block significantly increased intestinal motility compared to sedation alone.
• Motility peaked between 1-3 hours and remained elevated for up to 6 hours post-block, with one transient side effect of hindlimb ataxia.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound-guided celiac plexus block is a feasible and safe technique in horses.
• The procedure effectively increases intestinal motility.
• This technique offers a potential adjunctive treatment for equine colic and paralytic ileus.