Clinical features and outcome of 40 horses with mesodiverticular bands identified during exploratory laparotomy for management of acute colic.

Shanklin, Alexander J ORCID: 0000-0003-1463-4576, Archer, Debra C and Baldwin, Christopher M ORCID: 0000-0003-3400-1178 (2023) Clinical features and outcome of 40 horses with mesodiverticular bands identified during exploratory laparotomy for management of acute colic. Equine veterinary journal.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/evj.14014

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Mesodiverticular bands (MDBs) are an embryonic remnant of the vitelline artery. Information about the clinical significance of equine MDBs is currently limited.<h4>Objectives</h4>To report the clinical features, surgical findings and outcomes of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy where a MDB was identified.<h4>Study design</h4>Retrospective case series.<h4>Methods</h4>Case records of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy for colic over a 14-year period (2009-2022) were reviewed. MDBs identified at laparotomy were classified as the primary or contributory cause of abdominal pain, or as incidental.<h4>Results</h4>MDBs were identified in 40/1943 horses (2.1%) and 15 were primary (32.5%), 10 contributory (25%) and 15 incidental (32.5%). Horses with primary MDBs (median 2 years, IQR 1-12) were significantly younger than horses with incidental MDBs (median 8 years, IQR 6-16; P = 0.01). MDBs were more likely to be incidental if located in the mid-jejunum (5/5) (P < 0.001) or where a mesenteric pocket was absent (11/15) (P = 0.01). Primary MDBs caused extra-mural obstruction due to mesenteric shortening (n = 4), small intestinal entrapment within the MDB pocket (n = 5) or in an adjacent mesenteric rent (n = 4), and volvulus around the MDB (n = 2), with intestinal resection required in 8/15 cases. For horses with primary MDBs, survival to hospital discharge was 60% overall (9/15) and 75% for horses that stood following anaesthesia (9/12) with 88.9% of cases discharged from hospital (8/9) surviving >1 year. Excision of MDB tissue was not associated with complications but 3/4 non-incidental MDBs left in situ required relaparotomy to treat MDB-associated colic.<h4>Main limitations</h4>Retrospective single centre data.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Most MDBs in horses undergoing surgical treatment of colic in this population were not incidental. MDB-associated colic was most commonly classified as strangulating obstruction, but non-strangulating extra-mural compression was also identified. Excision of MDB tissue should be undertaken where possible, particularly in non-incidental cases.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	colic, congenital, horse, mesodiverticular band, small intestinal
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	17 Oct 2023 14:57
Last Modified:	30 Oct 2023 02:51
DOI:	10.1111/evj.14014
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14014
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3173828