Evaluation of postoperative peritoneal lavage in standing horses for prevention of experimentally induced abdominal adhesions.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the postoperative use of peritoneal lavage for prevention of experimentally induced intraabdominal adhesions in horses.


METHODS
Areas of serosal abrasion were created on the jejunum of 12 horses. Postoperatively, six horses had peritoneal lavage, and six horses did not (controls). The number of adhesions was determined at necropsy 2 weeks after surgery.


METHODS
12 horses.


METHODS
Five sites of jejunal serosal abrasion were created in each horse. A 32 French thoracic catheter was placed into the right ventral aspect of the abdomen before closure of the abdominal incision. Treated horses had abdominal lavage with 10 L of lactated Ringer's solution on four occasions, then catheters were removed from all horses 34 hours after celiotomy. Horses were necropsied at 2 weeks to quantify the number of intraabdominal adhesions.


RESULTS
All control horses and one treated horse developed intraabdominal adhesions. The number of adhesions was significantly less (P < .0293) in treated horses. No adverse inflammatory reactions appeared to be associated with repeated peritoneal lavage using lactated Ringer's solution or use of an abdominal drain.


CONCLUSIONS
Peritoneal lavage reduced the frequency of intraabdominal adhesions.


CONCLUSIONS
When postoperative adhesions are likely to develop, postoperative peritoneal lavage may decrease the frequency of adhesion formation.
Hague
B A
BA
Department of Large Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
Honnas
C M
CM
Berridge
B R
BR
Easter
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D006736:Horses / Q000601:surgery*; D007579:Jejunal Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000601:surgery*; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D011897:Random Allocation; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary