A device and technique for gastrointestinal lavage in the horse

A device and technique for intra-operative gastro-intestinal lavage was developed to remove ingesta from the stomach, large intestine and caecum of horses. The Gastro-Intestinal Lavage System (GILS) is composed of a nozzle connected to both water under pressure and suction. Water jets across an intake portal in the nozzle, breaks up food and debris within the nozzle and is evacuated under negative pressure into the aspirating tube which is connected to a collection drum. The GILS nozzle was introduced at the pelvic flexure through a sterile enterotomy cuff and plastic sleeve. Water was first added through the GILS nozzle to mix intestinal ingesta to form a slurry and then the effluent was evacuated into the storage container by engaging the vacuum. Comparisons of this technique were made with the standard garden hose lavage technique. The GILS enables removal of 8.1 kg of large intestinal ingesta in less than 20 mins. Cleansing of the large bowel with the GILS was rapid, complete and a contamination free procedure which should prove applicable and beneficial for surgical treatment of small colonic, caecal, rectal and gastric impactions as well as sand colic and colonic torsions.