title: Incisional hernias in the horse. Incidence and predisposing factors.
abstract: Medical records of 210 horses that survived ventral midline celiotomy for at least 4 months were examined and owners were queried to determine factors contributing to incisional hernia formation. The incidence rate of incisional hernias within 4 months was 16%. Factors significantly associated with occurrence of incisional hernias were incisional drainage, closure of the linea alba with chromic gut suture material, previous midline celiotomy, excessive incisional edema, castrated male sex, postoperative leukopenia, and postoperative pain (colic). Factors not significantly associated with occurrence of incisional hernias were suture pattern used for linea alba closure, concurrent enterotomy or intestinal resection, postoperative bandage or stent, postoperative fever, hypoproteinemia, diarrhea, respiratory disease (coughing), and peritonitis. Hernias developed in horses within 12 weeks of surgery, with the earliest hernia recognized at week 2. Of 30 horses for which information was available, only one hernia developed in 24 (80%) and two or more hernias developed in 6 (20%) along the incision. Multiple hernias tended to be smaller than single hernias.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523.
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Curtis
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: McIlwraith
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Aanes
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Stashak
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004322:Drainage / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006736:Horses; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008432:Mathematical Computing; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013537:Sutures / Q000662:veterinary