Pectin-honey hydrogel to prevent laparotomy surgical site infection in horses: A pilot study.
Authors: Gandini Marco, Cerullo Anna, Giusto Gessica
Journal: Journal of equine veterinary science
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Pectin-Honey Hydrogel for Post-Laparotomy Infection Prevention Surgical site infection remains a significant challenge following equine celiotomy, driving the search for alternatives to systemic antibiotic prophylaxis in an era of growing resistance concerns. Gandini and colleagues conducted a randomised controlled pilot study comparing intraoperative application of pectin-honey hydrogel (PHH)—a composite dressing combining Manuka honey's antimicrobial properties with pectin's moisture-retentive characteristics—against standard care in 36 horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgery. The treatment group experienced substantially lower infection rates, with just 5.5% (1/18 horses) developing surgical site infection compared to 33.3% (6/18) in controls, conferring an 8.5-fold protective effect (p = 0.035). No adverse tissue reactions occurred with PHH application to the sutured linea alba prior to skin closure, suggesting the intervention is both safe and practical within existing surgical workflows. These findings warrant larger prospective trials, as localised antimicrobial barriers may offer equine surgeons a valuable non-systemic strategy to reduce one of celiotomy's most costly and morbid complications—particularly valuable for referral centres managing multiple emergency cases where infection control remains paramount.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Pectin-honey hydrogel application to the linea alba before skin closure appears to be a safe, non-antimicrobial strategy to significantly reduce post-laparotomy infection in horses
- •This approach may help reduce reliance on postoperative antibiotics and address antibiotic resistance concerns in equine surgery
- •Consider implementing this low-cost, topical intervention as part of routine celiotomy closure protocol, though larger studies are needed to confirm efficacy
Key Findings
- •Pectin-honey hydrogel application reduced SSI incidence to 5.5% in treated horses versus 33.3% in controls
- •Group 2 (no treatment) had 8.5-fold increased risk of SSI development (p = 0.035, OR = 8.5, 95% CI 0.9-80.07)
- •Overall SSI incidence across both groups was 19.4%, with median hospitalization of 9 days
- •No macroscopically visible adverse reactions were associated with pectin-honey hydrogel application