Diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy in the horse: experiences in 236 cases

In the past decades the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques has increased dramatically in equine surgery. This report presents 236 cases in which the laparoscopic technique has been used for a variety of indications, both diagnostic and therapeutic. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in 26 cases. Indications were: recurrent colic (13), acute colic (1), suspected presence of an intra-abdominal tumour (3), suspected presence of adhesions (3), chronic weight loss (2), suspected presence of intra-abdominal abscesses (2) and to answer the question if an abdominal testicle was present or not (related to an insurance problem). Therapeutic laparoscopy in standing position was performed for the following indications: castration of horses with normally descended testicles (66), abdominal cryptorchidism (68), inguinal cryptorchidism (52), ovary tumours (14), ovariectomy for other reasons (behavioural problems (6) and three to become a teasing mare). Under general anaesthesia dissection of adhesions discovered during diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in 5 horses, dissection of an ovary tumour tightly attached to the bladder in one horse and a traumatic ventral hernia was repaired in a fool with the implantation of a mesh. In the experience of the author, the development of technical skills, the so-called learning curve for a specific laparoscopic intervention comprises about 30 patients. It can be concluded that laparoscopy is a viable and very useful technique for both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the equine abdomen.