Complications associated with closed castration using the Henderson equine castration instrument in 300 standing equids.
Authors: Racine Julien, Vidondo Beatriz, Ramseyer Alessandra, Koch Christoph
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Closed Castration Using the Henderson Instrument in Standing Equids A prospective cohort study of 300 equids castrated using the Henderson Equine Castrating Instrument whilst standing revealed intraoperative difficulties in 13% of cases, with postoperative complications occurring in 23% overall—predominantly excessive swelling (9.67%) and surgical site infection (9%), with rare but serious events including severe haemorrhage (1%) and omental prolapse (0.64%). Notably, donkeys demonstrated a substantially elevated risk of severe haemorrhage (25%), making this technique unsuitable for this species, whilst field-based castrations showed significantly lower rates of both excessive swelling and infection compared to hospital settings (odds ratios of 3.20 and 3.18 respectively for hospital procedures). Surprisingly, neither extended antimicrobial prophylaxis nor the animal's age influenced complication rates, suggesting that environmental factors may be more influential than previously suspected. For equine practitioners, this technique offers a viable alternative to other standing castration methods in horses and ponies with complication rates comparable to established procedures, though the infection rate remains moderate and the hospital-associated increase in swelling and infection warrants consideration when planning surgical location.
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Practical Takeaways
- •The Henderson instrument is a reliable closed castration method for standing horses and ponies, with complication rates similar to other standing techniques but lower infection rates than some alternatives
- •Field castration settings appear safer than hospital settings for this procedure—expect more swelling and infection complications if performing in-clinic
- •Avoid this technique in donkeys due to unacceptably high hemorrhage risk (25%); use alternative methods or sedation/recumbency for donkey castrations
Key Findings
- •Postoperative complications occurred in 23% of cases (69/300), with excessive swelling (9.67%) and surgical site infection (9%) being most common
- •Donkeys had significantly higher risk of severe hemorrhage (25%, 2/8 cases, P=0.0019) compared to horses and ponies
- •Hospital settings were associated with 3.2× higher odds of excessive swelling and 3.18× higher odds of surgical site infection compared to field castrations
- •Antimicrobial prophylaxis duration and age at castration had no significant effect on excessive swelling or surgical site infection rates