16 Equine Celiotomy: Surgical Procedures

What is the primary initial goal when managing a horse that requires colic surgery?

During a ventral midline approach for exploratory celiotomy in a horse, after incising the skin and subcutaneous tissues, what is the MOST critical next step to ensure patient safety?

When performing an abdominal exploration in a horse with suspected colic, an inability to definitively diagnose the cause prior to surgery will MOST likely result in:

In a horse presenting with acute colic signs, which factor would MOST strongly suggest the presence of a strangulating obstruction rather than a non-strangulating obstruction?

If a horse is diagnosed with epiploic foramen entrapment, what historical detail would MOST strongly support this diagnosis?

When surgically managing a horse with ascarid impaction, why is enterotomy preferred over intestinal resection and anastomosis, if the bowel is viable?

In the context of equine surgical colic, what is the MOST critical physiological consequence of a strangulating obstruction that necessitates rapid surgical intervention?

In a horse undergoing a small intestinal resection and anastomosis, which suturing pattern is generally preferred for closing the intestinal wall to promote optimal healing and minimize the risk of leakage?

In equine colic surgery, which type of anastomosis is created when the end of the jejunum is attached to the side of the cecum?

During an exploratory celiotomy for colic, while evaluating the small intestine you find inflammation of the duodenum and proximal jejunum in a horse. Nasogastric reflux is also noted. Which condition is MOST likely?

When performing a ventral midline celiotomy in a horse, where is the incision typically centered to provide optimal access to the abdominal cavity?

In horses, what differentiates a non-strangulating large colon displacement from a strangulating volvulus in terms of primary pathophysiology?

What is the primary indication for performing a large colon resection in a horse, and what factors often limit its feasibility?

In a horse with large colon volvulus, what is the MOST critical factor determining prognosis and survival rates?

What is the MOST crucial element when preparing a horse for exploratory celiotomy to correct surgical colic?

During abdominal exploration in a horse, which structure can only be palpated (and not directly visualized or exteriorized) via a standard ventral midline approach?

Which surgical disorder is MOST commonly associated with a pedunculated mass that grows from the mesentery, eventually encasing a loop of bowel?

A horse undergoing colic surgery is found to have a large number of ascarids causing a complete obstruction. Besides performing an enterotomy, what other important consideration must be taken?

A horse presents with signs of colic, and upon physical examination, the veterinarian notes severe, unresponsive pain, abdominal distention, and hemoconcentration. What condition is MOST suspected?

Broodmares are at a higher risk of developing which condition, and when are they most susceptible?

After performing a small intestinal resection and anastomosis in a horse, what postoperative finding would be MOST concerning and warrant immediate intervention?

Once a horse is diagnosed with large colon volvulus, and is undergoing treatment, what degree of colonic displacement represents a dire prognosis?

What degree of nonstrangulating volvulus can occur in the large intestine?

Which of the following is NOT considered a post-operative complication of Large Colon Volvulus?

What characterizes strangulating large intestine?

Which of the following is the cause of anterior enteritis?

When performing a resection and anastomosis procedure due to small intestinal lesions, which is the MOST important action that must be taken?

Prior to performing a resection and anastomosis, while determining sites of resection, which option is MOST important?

When considering large colon displacements, what is the 3 strike rule?

What action is needed in cases of small colon impaction?

In horses with small colon impactions, what component indicates an association with Salmonella infection?

A horse presents with colic, and after further examination is found to have an enterolith from the Right Dorsal Colon (RDC) and Transverse Colon (TC), what are these?

While examining a horse with colic, you note that the referring veterinarian has identified the presence of a 'transverse band' across the pelvic inlet during rectal palpation. What does this most likely suggest?

According to the images, what is the appropriate treatment when the horse has an Ascarid impaction?

How long of a duration with a large colon torsion can lead to a non viable status?

During the initial preparation for exploratory celiotomy in a horse exhibiting acute colic, which intervention is MOST critical to perform immediately after placing an intravenous catheter and while awaiting surgical team arrival?

Considering the surgical anatomy of the equine abdomen in dorsal recumbency, if a surgeon is primarily exploring the right flank region through a ventral midline incision, which organ would be the MOST readily accessible for initial evaluation?

A horse presents with clinical signs suggestive of acute colic. Upon abdominal exploration, the surgeon notes diffuse inflammation throughout the duodenum and proximal jejunum, accompanied by a large volume of fetid nasogastric reflux. While differentiating between anterior enteritis (AE) and small intestinal strangulation, which finding would MOST strongly favor a diagnosis of AE over strangulation?

In a small intestinal resection and anastomosis procedure in a horse, evaluating the mesenteric blood supply is paramount. What is the MOST critical aspect to assess when determining the viability of the intestinal segments to be anastomosed?

When categorizing surgical colic in horses, differentiating between strangulating and non-strangulating obstructions is crucial for prognosis and treatment planning. Which pathophysiological mechanism is the HALLMARK difference that defines a 'strangulating' obstruction compared to a 'non-strangulating' one?

A 16-year-old horse is diagnosed with a strangulating lipoma causing small intestinal obstruction. Considering the pathophysiology of strangulating obstructions, what is the MOST immediate and detrimental consequence at the cellular level within the affected bowel segment?

In a horse with large colon volvulus, the degree of rotation significantly impacts prognosis. A 360-degree large colon volvulus of 4 hours duration is considered to carry a grave prognosis primarily because:

Strangulating lipomas are a significant cause of colic in older horses. What is the MOST critical feature of these lipomas that leads to intestinal strangulation?

Epiploic foramen entrapment is associated with cribbing behavior in horses. What is the proposed mechanism by which cribbing increases the risk of this specific type of small intestinal entrapment?

A young horse (<2 years old) presents with signs of colic and is diagnosed with ascarid impaction. Why is surgical intervention, specifically enterotomy, often preferred over medical management in cases of complete ascarid obstruction, assuming bowel viability?

Anterior enteritis (AE) and small intestinal strangulation can present with similar clinical signs, including nasogastric reflux. However, what characteristic of the nasogastric reflux is MOST indicative of AE rather than strangulating obstruction?

Ileal impaction and ileal hypertrophy are both non-strangulating obstructions of the ileum. What is the PRIMARY differentiating factor in their etiology and typical signalment?

Mesenteric rents and mesenteric abscesses are both considered potential causes of colic. What is the key distinction in their mechanism of causing intestinal dysfunction?

Fetal remnants, such as mesodiverticular bands and Meckel's diverticulum, are listed as causes of small intestinal disorders. How do these embryological anomalies typically lead to colic?

Intussusception, a form of intestinal obstruction, is characterized by one segment of intestine telescoping into another. What is the MOST common type of intussusception observed in horses experiencing colic?

When managing large colon displacements medically, the '3 strike rule' is often mentioned. What does this '3 strike rule' specifically refer to in the context of medical management of large colon displacements?

In cases of large colon volvulus, the degree of torsion is a critical prognostic factor. What range of large colon rotation is MOST commonly observed in horses with this condition?

A horse with large colon torsion is likely to exhibit specific physical exam findings. Which combination of clinical signs is MOST suggestive of a strangulating large colon torsion?

Small colon impactions in horses can be associated with certain predisposing factors. Which specific finding in a horse with small colon impaction raises suspicion for an underlying Salmonella infection?

Enteroliths are mineral concretions that can cause colic in horses. Enteroliths originating from the Right Dorsal Colon (RDC) and Transverse Colon (TC) are BEST described as:

Small colon foreign bodies can cause obstruction and colic in horses. Which type of foreign material is MOST commonly identified as causing small colon obstruction in equine surgical cases?

When performing surgical decompression for small intestinal lesions contributing to colic, what is the PRIMARY goal of this procedure?

In cases of small intestinal obstruction requiring surgical intervention, the decision to perform an enterotomy versus a resection and anastomosis (R&A) is critical. What is the PRIMARY factor that typically dictates the choice between these two procedures?

Postoperative complications following large colon volvulus surgery are a significant concern. Which of the following postoperative complications is MOST directly related to the release of endotoxins from the ischemic and reperfused large colon?

Large colon resection is considered a salvage procedure for non-viable large colon. What is the MOST significant limiting factor that often discourages surgeons from performing large colon resections in horses with volvulus?