Diaphragmatic hernia repair in three young horses

• Published in: Veterinary surgery Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 242 - 245
• Main Authors: Santschi, E.M. (Peterson and Smith Equine Hospital, Ocala, FL.), Juzwiak, J.S, Moll, H.D, Slone, D.E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.1997
• Subjects: Abdominal Pain; Abdominal Pain - etiology; Abdominal Pain - veterinary; Anastomosis, Surgical; Anastomosis, Surgical - veterinary; ANIMAL PERFORMANCE; Animals; CABALLO DE CARRERA; CASE STUDIES; Cecum; Cecum - surgery; CHEVAL DE COURSE; complications; DESEMPENO ANIMAL; DIAFRAGMA; DIAPHRAGM; DIAPHRAGME; epidemiology; ESTUDIOS DE CASOS PRACTICOS; etiology; ETUDE DE CAS; Female; FOALS; HERNIA; Hernia, Diaphragmatic; Hernia, Diaphragmatic - complications; Hernia, Diaphragmatic - surgery; Hernia, Diaphragmatic - veterinary; HERNIE; Horse Diseases; Horse Diseases - epidemiology; Horse Diseases - etiology; Horse Diseases - surgery; Horses; Incidence; INTESTIN; Intestinal Obstruction; Intestinal Obstruction - etiology; Intestinal Obstruction - surgery; Intestinal Obstruction - veterinary; INTESTINES; INTESTINOS; Jejunum; Jejunum - surgery; OPERACIONES QUIRURGICAS; OPERATION CHIRURGICALE; PERFORMANCE ANIMAL; POTRO; POULAIN; RACEHORSES; RACING PERFORMANCE; Retrospective Studies; SMALL INTESTINE; surgery; SURGICAL OPERATIONS; Treatment Outcome; veterinary
• ISSN: 0161-3499; 1532-950X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.1997.tb01492.x

Objective‐ This clinical report describes surgical correction of diaphragmatic hernia in three young horses. Study Design‐ Retrospective investigation of medical records and subsequent racing performance. Animals‐ Three young horses with diaphragmatic hernia. Results‐ Three young horses with signs of abdominal pain had diaphragmatic hernia causing small intestinal strangulation. The strangulated small intestine was resected and an end‐to‐end jejuno‐jejunal (two horses) or a side‐to‐side jejuno‐cecal anastomosis (one horse) was performed. Diaphragmatic hernias were closed with a continuous suture pattern. All horses recovered and raced. No difference in race records was found between the subject horses and their siblings. One subject horse died of colic at 5 years of age, but the cause of the colic was undetermined. The remaining two horses are in use as broodmares and have produced multiple foals without recurrence of signs of diaphragmatic hernia Conclusions‐ Diaphragmatic hernias can be repaired in horses. These horses can achieve race records similar to their siblings and can produce foals without recurrence of signs of diaphragmatic hernia.