Retrospective Comparison of Gastrosplenic Entrapment of the Small Intestine to Other Strangulating Small Intestinal Lesions in Adult Horses.
Authors: Bergren Amanda L, Credille Brent C, Epstein Kira L, Giguère Steeve
Journal: Veterinary surgery : VS
Summary
# Gastrosplenic Entrapment of the Small Intestine: Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis Entrapment of the small intestine by the gastrosplenic ligament (ESIGL) represents a significant proportion of strangulating small intestinal lesions in horses, yet clinical presentation and prognosis differ meaningfully from other forms of intestinal strangulation. This retrospective analysis of 205 cases (22 with ESIGL, 183 with other strangulating lesions) identified that geldings and Quarter Horse breeds showed clear predisposition to ESIGL, which accounted for 10.7% of all strangulating small intestinal obstructions over the 11-year study period. Horses with ESIGL presented with excessive nasogastric reflux and abnormal peritoneal fluid but notably produced less postoperative reflux than horses with other strangulating lesions; crucially, these cases required intestinal resection and anastomosis significantly more often, reflecting the severity of ischaemic damage. Survival to hospital discharge for ESIGL was substantially better at 72.7% compared to 50% for other strangulating lesions, suggesting that despite the surgical complexity involved, the overall prognosis remains fair to good. For equine practitioners, breed and sex predisposition warrants heightened suspicion in geldings and Quarter Horses presenting with acute colic, whilst the relatively favourable outcome data may inform client discussions regarding surgical intervention in this specific condition.
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Practical Takeaways
- •ESIGL should be considered as a more common cause of strangulating colic than previously thought, particularly in geldings and Quarter Horses presenting with excessive nasogastric reflux
- •Horses with ESIGL have better survival outcomes (73%) compared to other strangulating lesions (50%), warranting aggressive surgical intervention when diagnosis is made
- •Breed and sex predisposition data can help guide clinical suspicion in at-risk populations, improving early recognition and surgical management
Key Findings
- •ESIGL accounted for 10.7% of all strangulating small intestinal lesions in horses presenting with acute abdominal pain
- •Horses with ESIGL were significantly more likely to require intestinal resection and anastomosis compared to other strangulating lesions
- •Survival to hospital discharge was 72.7% (16/22) for ESIGL versus 50.3% (92/183) for other strangulating small intestinal obstructions
- •Geldings and Quarter Horse or Quarter Horse-type breeds showed significant predisposition to ESIGL development