SURVEY OF DIPLOMATES OF THE AMERICAN-COLLEGE-OF-VETERINARY-SURGEONS REGARDING POSTOPERATIVE INTRAABDOMINAL ADHESION FORMATION IN HORSES UNDERGOING ABDOMINAL-SURGERY

Objective-To obtain information from specialists in equine surgery as to prevalence of, predisposing factors for, and methods to prevent pos toperative adhesion formation in horses undergoing abdominal surgery. Design-Survey. Procedure-Surveys were mailed to 196 diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons involved in equine practice. R esults-60 (31%) surveys were returned. Most respondents (55/60) routin ely informed clients of the risk of postoperative adhesion formation i n horses with small intestinal lesions. When asked after which procedu res they routinely used measures to prevent adhesions, 56 of 60 (93%) indicated that they did after small intestinal resection and anastomos is and 56 of 60 (93%) indicated that they did after any abdominal surg ery in foals. The 4 methods most frequently listed when respondents we re asked which methods were effective at preventing adhesion formation were meticulous surgical technique, administration of antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intraoperative peritoneal lavag e, and methods that prevent abdominal contamination. Most respondents (50/60) thought that at least some horses with colic secondary to adhe sion formation could be managed medically. Fifty-four (90%) respondent s indicated that they were successful less than half of the time when treating horses with adhesions severe enough to require additional sur gery. Conclusion-In general, respondents thought that less than 15% of horses undergoing abdominal surgery would develop adhesions, but that horses with small intestinal disease and foals were most prone to dev elop adhesions. Meticulous surgical technique was thought to be the mo st important factor in preventing adhesions, and many prevention regim ens reported to be effective in the literature were not commonly used in practice.