Head and tail rope-assisted recovery improves quality of recovery from general anaesthesia in horses undergoing emergency exploratory laparotomy.
Authors: Louro Luís Filipe, Robson Katherine, Hughes Jodie, Loomes Kate, Senior Mark
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Recovery from general anaesthesia represents a critical and hazardous phase in equine colic surgery, yet optimal management strategies remain underexplored. This Portuguese single-centre retrospective analysis of 502 anaesthetic episodes examined perioperative factors influencing recovery quality, comparing head and tail rope-assisted recovery against unassisted methods using multivariable logistic regression. Head and tail rope assistance demonstrated a 2.2-fold increased odds of good-quality recovery compared with unassisted recovery, whilst sevoflurane anaesthesia conferred superior recovery characteristics relative to isoflurane; conversely, prolonged anaesthetic duration and higher intraoperative dosages of ketamine and thiopental were associated with compromised recovery quality. Notably, recovery method did not influence mortality rates, suggesting the assisted technique's benefits relate to smoother, safer transitions rather than survival outcomes. For practitioners managing post-operative colic cases—particularly those anticipated to be lengthy or requiring higher induction doses—implementing head and tail rope recovery protocols alongside sevoflurane administration may substantially improve the clinical experience for both horse and handlers during this inherently risky period.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Using head and tail rope assistance during recovery from colic surgery significantly improves recovery quality and should be considered standard practice where facilities permit
- •Choose sevoflurane over isoflurane as the maintenance anaesthetic agent when managing horses undergoing colic surgery to optimise recovery outcomes
- •Minimize intraoperative durations and ketamine/thiopental dosing where clinically feasible, as these directly impact post-operative recovery quality
Key Findings
- •Head and tail rope recovery was associated with 2.2 times better quality of recovery compared to unassisted recovery (95% CI 1.4–3.3, P < 0.001)
- •Sevoflurane administration showed 1.6 times better recovery quality than isoflurane (95% CI 1.2–2.3, P = 0.02)
- •Increasing general anaesthesia duration, higher intraoperative thiopental doses (OR 0.85), and higher ketamine doses (OR 0.67) were associated with poorer recovery quality
- •No statistically significant difference in mortality rates was found between assisted and unassisted recovery groups