Long-term follow-up on recovery, return to use and sporting activity: a retrospective study of 236 operated colic horses in Finland (2006\u20132012)

Isa Anna Maria Immonen,Jouni Junnila,Anna Mykkänen,Tytti Niemelä,Ninja Karikoski,Riitta-Mari Tulamo

doi:10.1186/s13028-016-0273-9

Isa Anna Maria Immonen, Jouni Junnila + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-016-0273-9

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Abstract

BackgroundSurgical treatment of colic is expensive and complications may occur. Information on the prognosis and the use of the horse after surgery for colic is important for surgeons and owners. Current literature on return to athletic function after celiotomy is limited. The present study reviewed surgical cases of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Helsinki, Finland for 2006–2012. The aim was to follow the population of horses of different breeds for surgical findings, postsurgical complications, long-term recovery and prognosis. The findings and their influence on survival, return to previous or intended use and performance were assessed.ResultsMost of the operated horses (82.6%; 195/236) recovered from anesthesia and 74.9% (146/195) were discharged. The total follow-up time was 8 years and 10 months and the median survival time 79.2 months. Age of the horse, location of the abdominal lesion (small vs. large intestine), incidence of postoperative colic, surgical site infection, incisional hernia or convalescence time after surgery, did not significantly affect the probability of performing in the previous or intended discipline after the surgery. A majority of the discharged horses (83.7%) was able to perform in the previous or intended discipline and 78.5% regained their former or higher level of performance. Operated horses had 0.18 colic episodes per horse-year during the long-term follow-up. The incidence of colic was 20.0% within the first year after surgery. Horses operated for large intestinal colic were 3.3-fold more prone to suffer postoperative colic than horses operated for small intestinal colic. The majority of the owners (96.3%) were satisfied with the veterinary care and nearly all (98.5%) evaluated the recovery after the colic surgery to be satisfactory or above.ConclusionsIf the horse survives to discharge, prognosis for long-term survival and return to previous level of sporting activity and performance was good after colic surgery in a population of horses of different breeds. None of the factors studied were found to decrease the probability of performing in the same or intended discipline after surgery. The majority of horses were able to return to their previous activity and perform satisfactorily for several years after surgery.

Highlights

Surgical treatment of colic is expensive and complications may occur
According to previous reports postoperative colic is more common in horses with strangulating small intestinal lesions or right dorsal displacement of the colon and it occurs within 100 days after surgery [1, 9, 10]
The occurrence of SSI often leads to incisional hernia [2] and incisional hernia in this study developed in 11.1% (15/135) of the cases

Summary

Introduction

Surgical treatment of colic is expensive and complications may occur. Information on the prognosis and the use of the horse after surgery for colic is important for surgeons and owners. The aim was to follow the population of horses of different breeds for surgical findings, postsurgical complications, long-term recovery and prognosis. The findings and their influence on survival, return to previous or intended use and performance were assessed. The most common long-term complications that affect the return to use and performance are incisional hernia and postoperative colic [2,3,4]. The horse-owners’ levels of satisfaction were assessed According to these two reports, owners expressed that 76–86% of the horses to have regained their previous or intended uses [6, 7]

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