Intralesional application of medical grade honey improves healing of surgically treated lacerations in horses.
Authors: Mandel H H, Sutton G A, Abu E, Kelmer G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Medical grade honey (MGH) applied directly into surgical laceration wounds before closure significantly improves healing outcomes in horses, with treated animals showing a 3.4-fold greater likelihood of complete healing and 3.6-fold reduction in infection signs compared to controls. In this prospective randomised study of 127 horses managed by field practitioners, a single intralesional application of l-mesitran gel (MGH) produced no adverse effects, and clinicians reported greater satisfaction with treated cases; notably, only five horses needed treating to achieve one additional successful outcome. Given the persistent challenge of infection and dehiscence in equine laceration management, this accessible intervention—requiring no special equipment and delivered at the point of closure—represents a practical addition to standard wound protocols, though the authors correctly acknowledge that subjective infection assessment and lack of observer blinding warrant larger, more rigorous trials focusing on anatomically specific injuries. The findings suggest MGH warrants consideration as a cost-effective adjunct in field settings, particularly where post-operative complication rates remain stubbornly high despite conventional management.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Consider intralesional application of medical grade honey (l-mesitran gel) before closing laceration wounds in horses to reduce infection and dehiscence rates
- •This simple, single-application treatment appears safe with no reported adverse effects and requires minimal additional time during wound closure
- •For every 5 horses treated with MGH, one additional complete healing outcome can be expected compared to standard closure alone
Key Findings
- •Medical grade honey (l-mesitran gel) applied intralesionally prior to closure increased complete healing rates compared to control (P = 0.006, OR 3.40)
- •MGH-treated horses showed significantly fewer signs of infection (P = 0.007, OR 3.64) compared to untreated controls
- •Number needed to treat for complete healing was 5.1, with no adverse effects recorded in the treatment group
- •Veterinarian satisfaction was higher in MGH-treated cases (P = 0.04, OR 2.72)