Repair of a full-thickness gastric rupture in a horse

Abstract

Gastric dilatation in horses may be primary (eg, engorgement, Gastrophilus sp infection), secondary (eg, to obstruction or ileus), or idiopathic, and may result in rupture. Nasogastric intubation does not necessarily prevent gastric rupture. Gastric rupture in horses usually is associated with gross contamination of the peritoneal cavity and death. Successful surgical repair of gastric rupture in horses usually is limited to those horses in which the gastric mucosa is still intact.