Heart rate 24 h after recovery may be a more reliable prognostic indicator than other analysed variables. Survival rate and complications after LCRA were similar to those previously reported.

Lack of effectiveness of antibacterial-coated suture material in equine ventral midline closure after exploratory celiotomy and the observed potential adverse effects suggest that further clinical investigations are needed before using such material routinely on horses.

Horses that underwent colic surgery did not have a significant reduction in measures of performance or career length, compared with a reference cohort.