Surgical Correction of Leftsided Abomasal Displacement With a Modified Roll and Suture Method

Abstract

The number of abomasal displacements has increased consistently in the last ten years with increasing milk production in a large animal practice in northern Germany despite improved management. Besides disposition (1), and mistakes in management (overfeeding during the dry period, inadequate "steaming up"), it is primarily due to feeding regimes (2) which in this practice include silage of corn, grass or turnip greens, hay, turnips and concentrates. The abomasal displacement has been observed frequently secondary to diseases such as liver disease with ketosis, latent hypocalcemia, abomasitis, pelvic phlegmons, endometritis, and lamenesses with associated general malaise and a decrease in food intake. About half of all abomasal displacements can be cured or disappear spontaneously with fluid therapy, intensive therapy of the underlying disease, change in feeding and peroral therapy (via stomach tube) to improve rumen digestion. If conservative treatment of the patient is not possible, the surgical correction of the abomasal displacement is necessary. Besides the rightsided laparotomy and omentopexy (3), the author used a modification of the method described by HULL (1972) which is fast and simple, and is accepted by many farmers even for the treatment of valuable cows.