Prevention and Treatment of Postoperative Complications in Equines

Colic surgery is one of the most expensive procedures in equine clinics throughout the world. Although costs of surgery and anesthesia can be standardized to some extent, the cost of aftercare is less predictable. It can be altered considerably by the development of complications, such as surgical site infection, postoperative ileus, and formation of post-operative hernias, among others. Colic surgery places enormous demands on personnel, time, and resources. Nevertheless, it is a life-saving procedure. Complications increase cost through prolonged nursing care, technician salaries, extended treatment with antibiotics and other drugs, repeated laboratory analysis, and high-volume fluid therapy. Additional surgery, such as repeat celiotomy or repair of incisional complications, increases the costs considerably. Because none of these can be anticipated in most cases, a critical part of case management is a complete evaluation of expected and probable unexpected costs for the owner