Laparoscopically assisted cecal cannulation in standing horses

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Surgery
• Equine Medicine
• Minimally Invasive Techniques

Background:

• Equine cecal access is crucial for therapies like fluid administration and transfaunation.
• Conventional laparotomy for cecal access is highly invasive and carries significant risks.
• A need exists for less invasive methods to access the equine cecum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a minimally invasive, laparoscopically assisted technique for cecal cannulation in standing horses.
• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of this novel approach for long-term cecal access.

Main Methods:

• The procedure involved standing sedation and paravertebral anesthesia in seven horses.
• Two right flank accesses were created: a laparoscopic port for visualization and a minilaparotomy for exteriorization.
• A Foley catheter was inserted via typhlotomy and secured, followed by clinical monitoring and intracecal fluid therapy.

Main Results:

• The technique was successful in 85.7% of horses, with the catheter remaining functional for 22 days.
• Horses maintained normal physiological parameters, with no leakage or systemic complications.
• One fatality due to peritonitis underscored the need for a 24-48 hour recovery period before high-volume infusions.

Conclusions:

• The standing laparoscopic technique offers a safe and practical method for long-term cecal access in horses.
• This approach significantly reduces surgical trauma compared to laparotomy.
• It facilitates repeated therapeutic interventions for equine gastrointestinal conditions such as impaction and dysbiosis.