Effects of Leaving Amputated Ovaries Intra-Abdominally during Elective Bilateral Standing Laparoscopic Ovariectomy in Equids.
Authors: Devick Ian F, Hendrickson Dean A
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary Accidental ovarian loss during standing laparoscopic ovariectomy in mares typically necessitates conversion to open flank laparotomy for retrieval, compromising the minimally invasive benefits of the procedure. Devick and Hendrickson deliberately left amputated ovaries in the abdominal cavity of mature mares following bilateral standing laparoscopic ovariectomy to determine whether retained tissue would either atrophy or re-establish blood supply and regain function. Post-operative endocrine values remained at basal levels—indicating no functional ovarian tissue was present—whilst all mares demonstrated improved behaviour and normalised herd dynamics consistent with successful ovariectomy outcomes. Although the authors appropriately refrain from recommending intentional ovarian retention as standard practice, their findings suggest that inadvertently dropped ovaries do not pose the clinical complications previously feared, potentially eliminating the need for conversion to invasive surgery in select cases. This observation may offer equine surgeons greater flexibility in managing intra-operative ovarian loss during laparoscopic procedures, though further investigation into long-term outcomes and potential inflammatory responses would strengthen clinical confidence in this approach.
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Practical Takeaways
- •If an ovary is accidentally dropped during standing laparoscopic ovariectomy and cannot be retrieved, conversion to flank laparotomy may not be mandatory as retained ovarian tissue did not cause documented complications in this series
- •Retained ovarian tissue did not interfere with expected endocrine changes or behavioral outcomes post-ovariectomy
- •While not recommended as standard practice, accidental ovarian retention during standing laparoscopic procedures may be managed conservatively without adverse effects in some cases
Key Findings
- •Intentionally retained amputated ovaries in the abdomen did not cause documented complications in mares post-operatively
- •Post-operative endocrine values remained at basal levels following ovary retention
- •Behavioral improvement and improved herd dynamics were observed in all mares despite retained ovarian tissue
- •No evidence of ovarian re-vascularization or complications from voluntary release of ovaries into the abdomen was reported