title: Indications, complications, and outcome of horses undergoing repeated celiotomy within 14 days after the first colic surgery: 95 cases (2005-2013).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine factors associated with short- and long-term prognosis for horses undergoing repeated celiotomy within 14 days after the first colic surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  95 horses that had undergone 2 celiotomies within a 14-day period between 2005 and 2013 at 3 equine referral hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Historical, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between horses that did not survive and horses that did survive to hospital discharge (short-term survival rate) and to > 3 and > 6 months after hospital discharge (long-term survival rates).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strangulating small intestinal lesions were the most common finding during the first celiotomy (60/95 [63.2%]), and persistent gastric reflux was the most common reason for the second celiotomy (56/95 [58.9%]). Reasons for a second celiotomy were not associated with survival rate. For horses that had long-term follow-up, 22 of 92 (23.9%) survived > 6 months after hospital discharge. Two of 13 horses with intestinal resections during both surgeries survived to > 6 months after hospital discharge. Compared with horses not undergoing intestinal resection, significantly fewer horses requiring resection during 1 or both surgeries survived to hospital discharge and to > 3 and > 6 months after hospital discharge. Incisional infections occurred in 68.4% (26/38) of horses that survived to hospital discharge, and 31.6% (12/38) developed incisional hernias or dehiscence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicated that the prognosis for horses undergoing repeated celiotomy is guarded, and intestinal resection negatively affects the long-term survival rate.
authors: Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, England.
authors: Bettina
authors: B
authors: Dunkel
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Mair
authors: Celia M
authors: CM
authors: Marr
authors: Jordan
authors: J
authors: Carnwath
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Bolt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003085:Colic / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies