Repair of an incompetent urethral sphincter in a mare.

Summary

# Editorial Summary Urinary incontinence in mares can result from iatrogenic damage to the urethral sphincter during routine surgical procedures such as cystic calculus removal, yet surgical correction of such injuries remains poorly documented in equine literature. Schumacher and Brink present a clinical case of a 7-year-old Swedish Warmblood mare who developed post-operative incontinence after sphincter disruption during urolithotomy, treated via direct surgical apposition of the transected urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis. Following repair, the mare regained complete urinary continence, demonstrating that anatomical reconstruction of the sphincter mechanism can restore function even after significant iatrogenic trauma. This case is clinically relevant for surgeons performing urinary procedures, as it establishes a viable surgical technique for managing what might otherwise be considered an untreatable complication, potentially preventing long-term management challenges including perineal dermatitis, behavioural complications, and compromised welfare. Farriers and other equine professionals should be aware that referral for specialist surgical evaluation is warranted when incontinence develops post-operatively, rather than accepting chronic incontinence as an inevitable outcome.

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Key Findings

• •Urethral sphincter damage during cystic urolith removal resulted in urinary incontinence in a 7-year-old mare
• •Surgical repair by apposing the ends of the disrupted urethralis muscle and tunica muscularis successfully resolved incontinence

Conditions Studied