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Complications and survival associated with surgical compared with medical management of horses with duodenitis‐proximal jejunitis
Author(s) -
UNDERWOOD C.,
SOUTHWOOD L. L.,
McKEOWN K. P.,
KNIGHT D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.2746/042516408x302492
Subject(s) - medicine , duodenitis , population , medical record , surgery , gastroenterology , stomach , gastritis , environmental health
Summary Reasons for performing study : Based on clinical observation, it is hypothesised that horses with duodenitis‐proximal jejunitis (DPJ) that are treated surgically have a shorter duration, smaller volume, and slower rate of nasogastric reflux (NGR) compared to horses treated medically, are more likely to develop diarrhoea than medically managed cases, and have a higher incisional infection rate than a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. Objectives : To compare: 1) duration, volume and rate of NGR and the percentage of horses with diarrhoea between medically and surgically treated DPJ cases; and 2) incisional infection rate in horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration to a sample population of horses undergoing abdominal exploration for gastrointestinal disease other than DPJ. Methods : Medical records of cases with DPJ diagnosed 1995–2006 were reviewed. Information obtained included subject details, presenting clinical findings, treatment category (medical/surgical), complications (diarrhoea, incisional infection), and outcome (survival/nonsurvival). Data were analysed using a Chi‐squared test and a mixed model analysis of variance. Level of significance was P<0.05. Results : Compared to medical cases, surgical cases had significantly decreased survival, a longer duration and larger total volume of NGR, and were more likely to develop diarrhoea. The incisional infection rate for horses with DPJ undergoing abdominal exploration was 16% compared to 7% for the sample population of horses. Conclusions : Surgical treatment of horses with DPJ did not lead to resolution of NGR faster than medical treatment. Surgical cases were more likely to develop diarrhoea and did not have a significantly higher incisional infection rate than the sample population. Potential relevance : Surgical intervention did not appear to lessen the volume or duration of NGR. It is mainly indicated as a diagnostic aid in cases of DPJ that are difficult to differentiate from small intestinal mechanical obstruction.