Surgical management of intussusception in the horse

Abstract

SummaryDuring a 14 year period, 27 of 310 horses undergoing laparotomy because of abdominal pain were found to have an intussusception involving the small intestine (16 cases) or caecum (11 cases). The clinical signs, operative findings and techniques adopted to overcome the obstruction are described. An evaluation of possible predisposing factors provided further evidence of the important role of the tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata in initiating intussusception involving the ileum and caecum.

A Case Report: Colic Due to Jejuno-jejunal Intussusception in A Mare

“…Pain may range from intermittent mild to severe. Pain may be so uncontrollable that immediate surgical intervention is required 9,10,19,20 . In addition diarrhea and fever may be seen occasionally.…”

“…Usually the ileum is involved at or close to, the ileocaecal junction 9,18 . Jejuno-jejunal intussusceptions are less frequently encountered and hence its incidence is very low (2.26%) in horses 9 .…”

“…The prognosis of the small intestine intussusception depends on many factors, including the length of the bowel affected, duration of the lesion and variability of the bowel 17 . The longer the intussusception is present and the intestine compromised, the worse the prognosis 8,9 . This paper presents a case of a jejuno-jejunal intussusception in a mare that was diagnosed with the use of ultrasonography.…”

“…Horses may be predisposed to intussusception because of enteritis, rapid dietary changes, parasitism, mesenteric arteritis, abdominal surgery, intraluminal foreign bodies and intramural masses 1,2,8 . Jejuno-jejunal intussusception was found to be the cause of colic in only 7of 310 (2.26%) horses 9 . Horses with intestinal intussusceptions exhibit signs of acute intestinal obstruction or have a chronic disease, characterized by abdominal pain, reduced apetite, weight loss, intermittent fever, soft feces and pyrexia 10 .…”

Use of an incomplete cecal bypass for treatment of cecocolic intussusception in three horses

“…Bezogen auf die Gesamtzahl der laparotomierten Pferde liegt das Vorkommen bei 1,3 % (Gaughan und Hackett 1990), beziehungsweise nach den Angaben von Boussauw et al (2001) bei 1,48 %. Betroffen sind vor allem Jungtiere und Kleinpferde (Pearson et al 1975, Edwards 1986, Milne et al 1989, Gaughan und Hackett 1990, Martin et al 1999, Boussauw et al 2001. Entsprechend der Arbeiten von Gaughan und Hackett 1990, Martin et al 1999 sowie Lores und Ortenburger 2008 scheint eine Rasseprädisposition für den Traber zu bestehen.…”