Data Collection for the Fourth Multicentre Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities (CEPEF4) Study: New Technology and Preliminary Results.
Authors: Gozalo-Marcilla Miguel, Bettschart-Wolfensberger Regula, Johnston Mark, Taylor Polly M, Redondo Jose I
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary: CEPEF4 Study – Perioperative Mortality in Equine Anaesthesia Nearly two decades have elapsed since the last comprehensive multicentre audit of anaesthetic mortality in horses, making updated epidemiological data essential for informing clinical practice and safety protocols. Researchers across 69 centres collected prospective data on 6,701 procedures conducted under general anaesthesia and 1,955 standing sedations over a six-month period using an internet-based platform, with mortality assessed at seven days post-procedure. Overall mortality under general anaesthesia was 1.0%, though this figure masked important clinical variation: non-colic procedures carried a lower risk at 0.6%, whilst colic cases demonstrated substantially higher mortality at 3.4%; standing sedation proved considerably safer at 0.2%. The study's primary contribution lies in validating a robust digital data-collection methodology that enables real-time, multicentre surveillance—a significant methodological advance that facilitates ongoing monitoring of anaesthetic safety across diverse equine populations and procedures. For practitioners, these contemporary baseline figures provide a critical reference point for informed consent discussions, whilst the demonstration of procedure-specific risk stratification emphasises the need for enhanced vigilance and preventive protocols, particularly in colic anaesthesia where perioperative complications remain substantially more common.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Colic procedures carry substantially higher perioperative mortality risk (3.4%) compared to other surgical procedures (0.6%), which should inform owner consent discussions and case selection
- •Standing sedation procedures demonstrate significantly lower mortality (0.2%) than general anaesthesia (1.0%), making them a lower-risk option when clinically feasible
- •This large multicentre study provides updated baseline mortality rates for equine anaesthesia after 20 years, allowing practitioners to benchmark their outcomes and identify centre-specific risk factors
Key Findings
- •Internet-based data collection method successfully gathered 6701 general anaesthesia and 1955 standing sedation procedures from 69 centres within six months
- •Overall mortality rate for general anaesthesia within seven days was 1.0%, with 0.6% in non-colic procedures and 3.4% in colic cases
- •Mortality rate for standing sedation procedures was 0.2%
- •Methodology proved suitable and effective for multicentre prospective data collection on equine perioperative mortality