Incidence of complications from perioperative urinary catheterisation in horses

Catheterisation of the urinary bladder is a common procedure during perioperative care of horses. Benefits of urinary catheters include a reduction in the risk of recovery-associated slip hazards as a consequence of voided urine and the measurement of urine output during anaesthesia. However, there is little information regarding the risks associated with this procedure. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken in horses admitted to a university teaching hospital for surgery during which a urinary catheter was placed perioperatively. Data were retrieved from clinical records including signalment, procedure type, presence of pre-existing urinary/renal pathology, timing of catheter placement, complications from catheterisation, injuries during recovery and total volume of urine. Records were searched for evidence of urinary tract infections (UTI) or urethral strictures at any time following catheterisation. Descriptive statistics were calculated for numerical data. A total of 218 horses were included. The majority of catheters (n = 157, 70.7%) were placed immediately prior to recovery. The median volume of urine collected during anaesthesia was 4.89 mL/kg (0.0-37.66 mL/kg). The duration of catheterisation ranged from less than 20 min to 4 days. Complications occurred in three horses (1.4%) where the catheter could not be passed through the urethra, resulting in minor urethral trauma in one case. No clinical signs of UTI or urethral stricture were reported in any horse post-catheterisation. Short-term placement of urinary catheters during the perioperative period has a low incidence of complications. Difficulty inserting the catheter is occasionally encountered and may result in urethral injury.