Risk Factors for Colic Surgery Incision Failure Studied

This rare, but potentially catastrophic, complication occurs in less than 1% of colic surgery patients.
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Risk Factors for Colic Surgery Incision Failure Studied
“I don’t want owners to decline surgery because they’re worried about this complication,” Mudge said. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse
While colic surgery is a life-saving procedure for many horses, it’s not without its risks. One rare, but potentially catastrophic, complication that occurs in 1% of colic surgery patients is abdominal incision dehiscence and visceral prolapse—when the incision the surgeon made to access the abdomen reopens, allowing the intestines to drop out of the abdomen.

In the best-case scenario, the surgeon can clean up and resuture the incision without additional complications. In the worst-case scenario, too much damage occurs and the horse must be euthanized.

While veterinarians monitor all patients for signs of incision failure, it hasn’t been clear which, if any, cases are at greater risk for complications or what factors influence survival following incision failure. So, Alison Gardner, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS-LA, an assistant professor at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Veterinary Medicine Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, in Columbus, recently completed a study on the topic. She shared the results at the 2017 International Equine Colic Research Symposium, held July 18-20, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Gardner and colleague Margaret Mudge, VMD, Dipl. ACVS, ACVECC, a clinical associate professor at the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine, reviewed 10 years of medical records to identify risk factors for acute ventral midline dehiscence and evaluate survival after wire placement to re-close the incision

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Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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