Tissue strength and wound morphology of the equine linea alba after ventral median celiotomy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the tensile strength and wound morphology of the equine linea alba at intervals over 6 months after ventral median celiotomy.


METHODS
Linea alba tensile strength and wound morphology were determined at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks postoperatively. Linea alba samples from 3 unoperated horses were used as controls.


METHODS
Eighteen adult horses, weighing 400 to 500 kg, 4 to 15 years old.


METHODS
Tensile strength and thickness of incised linea alba samples collected at 2, 4, 8, 16, and 24 weeks after ventral median celiotomy were compared with control linea alba samples. Additional samples were subjectively evaluated for wound morphology, notably collagen morphology.


RESULTS
Control linea alba had a mean (+/-SEM) tensile strength of 484.9 +/- 58.3 N and was significantly (P < or = .05) stronger than at 2 weeks (87.7 +/- 61.4 N) after surgery. The tensile strength of 4-week (305.8 +/- 61.7 N), 8-week (465.4 +/- 56.5 N), and 16-week (477.8 +/- 57.2 N) samples were not significantly different from control linea alba. At 24 weeks, the tensile strength (721.0 +/- 57.9 N) was significantly stronger than control. The 2-, 4-, and 8-week samples were significantly thicker than controls, whereas the 16- and 24-week samples were not different from controls. On microscopy, control samples were characterized by dense mature collagen bundles. At 2 weeks, samples consisted primarily of granulation tissue, whereas at 4 weeks, samples had immature collagen fibers that were not formed into bundles, and at 8, 16, and 24 weeks, all samples had abundant mature collagen fibers formed into bundles.


CONCLUSIONS
At 8 weeks, incised and sutured equine linea alba had a tensile strength comparable with non-incised linea alba and was characterized by mature collagen.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on tensile strength and wound morphology, horses that have had an uncomplicated recovery after ventral median celiotomy should be able to return to controlled exercise as early as 60 days after surgery.
Chism
P N
PN
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville 37901-1071, USA.
Latimer
F G
FG
Patton
C S
CS
Rohrbach
B W
BW
Blackford
J T
JT
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*