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Biomedical subjects

C A Ragle

Publications and source records attributed to C A Ragle.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Surgical treatment of colic in American miniature horses: 15 cases (1980-1987).

A study of 15 American miniature horses (AMH) that underwent surgical treatment for colic was performed. Information obtained from the medical records included signalment, clinical signs, type and location of gastrointestinal lesion, and postoperative complications. All 15 AMH had intraluminal obstructions, attributable to feed impactions (11 horses), enteroliths (2), and sand (2). The most common location of obstruction was the small colon, which was involved in 9 of the 15 cases. All 15 AMH survived and were discharged from the hospital. Six of the 15 AMH underwent subsequent surgical treatment for abdominal disorders. Elapsed time between the first and second operations ranged from 1 month to 5 years. Intestinal adhesions were observed in all AMH that were surgically treated twice. Thus, despite the fact that most of the AMH had a simple intraluminal obstruction, 40% (n = 6) developed adhesions that required or complicated a second surgery. Of the 15 AMH, 87% (n = 13) survived at least 12 months after the initial exploratory celiotomy. These findings suggest that most surgical abdominal conditions in AMH can be corrected; however, precautions should be taken to avoid or minimize adhesion formation.

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Traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus in foals.

Traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus is a catastrophic injury in the horse. Although this injury has been described in the adult, little information is available in the foal. This paper describes 3 foals with metacarpophalangeal joint instability caused by traumatic disruption of the suspensory apparatus. Two foals had biaxial proximal sesamoid fractures in a single forelimb, and 1 foal had avulsion of the distal sesamoidean ligaments in 1 forelimb plus biaxial proximal sesamoid fractures in the other forelimb. The foals with single forelimb involvement were managed with splints, and the foal with bilateral disruption of the suspensory apparatus was euthanatized. Both treated foals resumed natural exercise at pasture. Both continue to be pasture sound 2 and 3 years after injury and are to be used for breeding. Management of disruption of the suspensory apparatus causing metacarpophalangeal joint instability using external support was effective for salvage of these 2 valuable foals for breeding.

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Necrosis of the collateral cartilage of the distal phalanx in horses: 16 cases (1970-1985).

The medical records of 16 horses with necrosis of the collateral cartilage of the distal phalanx were reviewed. Typical history included a laceration or puncture wound over the affected cartilage, resulting in persistent drainage proximal to the coronary band. All horses had signs of lameness. The duration of drainage prior to admission to the hospital ranged from 5 days to 5 months. The involved cartilages were left front lateral (n = 4), right front lateral (n = 5), left rear lateral (n = 1), right rear lateral (n = 4), left front medial (n = 1), and left rear medial (n = 1). The affected cartilage was curetted or resected in 13 horses, and conservative treatment was used in 3 horses. Follow-up information on 15 horses (2 to 72 months after discharge) revealed that 66% were sound and able to perform at their previous level. One horse was euthanatized 2 months after discharge from the hospital because it had septic arthritis of the distal interphalangeal joint. The outcome of treatment for each horse was evaluated with respect to the duration of drainage and the method of treatment. Horses with drainage of less than 1 month's duration had a better prognosis for eventual soundness, compared with horses with drainage of greater than or equal to 1 month's duration prior to initiation of treatment. Nine of the 13 horses managed surgically and 1 of the 3 horses managed conservatively were sound at follow-up evaluation.

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Surgical treatment of sand colic. Results in 40 horses.

A retrospective study of 40 horses that underwent surgical treatment for sand colic was performed. Three horses were euthanatized and one died during surgery. Of the 36 horses that recovered from anesthesia, five died before discharge from the hospital and seven died after discharge. Twenty-four horses survived at least 12 months. Sand impaction of the right dorsal colon was present in 26 horses. In addition to sand impaction, 10 horses also had colonic displacement or volvulus.

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Ventral abdominal approach for laparoscopic ovariectomy in horses.

Eleven mares and four mules were ovariectomized by a ventral abdominal laparoscopic technique. This approach required tilting the operative table about 30 degrees elevating the pelvis to allow observation of the ovaries. A triangulation technique with a single laparoscopic portal and four instrument portals was used. The ovarian pedicles were ligated and the ovaries were removed through a single enlarged instrument portal. Females ranged in age from 5 months to 18 years. Mean operative time was 44 minutes (range 20 to 90 minutes); mean operative time of the last seven animals was 26 minutes. Signs of abdominal pain occurred in three mules and one mare in the immediate postoperative period. Peritoneal fluid collected from six animals 48 hours after surgery had a mean leukocyte count of 34,463/microL: (range, 21,000 to 62,800/microL), mean protein concentration of 3.1 g/dL (range, 2.2 to 4.6 g/dL), and mean differential leukocyte count of 74% neutrophils and 26% mononuclear cells. The animals were confined for 2 weeks after surgery. Signs of estrus were observed in two mares within 6 months after ovariectomy. All owners reported satisfaction with the results of laparoscopic ovariectomy. The ventral abdominal laparoscopic approach permitted efficient and safe ovariectomy of foals and adults.

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Ventral abdominal approach for laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy in horses.

OBJECTIVE: To report a ventral abdominal approach and a ligating loop technique for laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy in horses. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective. SAMPLE POPULATION: Six horses, aged 1 to 5 years, with retained testes. METHODS: One laparoscopic portal and three to four instrument portals were used for ventral abdominal laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy. Laparoscopic instruments were used to maneuver and secure the testis through a ligating loop (modified Roeder knot) that was secured from outside the abdominal cavity. Only minimal enlargement of one instrument portal was used to remove the testicle. RESULTS: Three horses were bilateral cryptorchids, and three were unilateral (left side, two; right side, one) cryptorchids. Operative time, defined as the time from laparoscope insertion to removal, ranged from 20 to 25 minutes for unilateral cryptorchids and from 40 to 50 minutes for bilateral cryptorchids. CONCLUSIONS: The reported technique allowed decreased tension on the tissues during ligation and removal of the testis from the peritoneal cavity. Improved observation of the abdominal cavity, ligation security, shortened patient confinement time, and minimally invasive technique are all considered to be benefits of laparoscopic cryptorchidectomy. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Direct observation of retained testes and intraabdominal castration are distinct advantages of the use of laparoscopy in horses that have had previous unsuccessful surgical attempts, horses with unknown histories that have retained testicular tissue, or bilateral abdominal cryptorchids.

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Abdominal auscultation in the detection of experimentally induced gastrointestinal sand accumulation.

A blind study was designed to determine if abdominal auscultation is an effective method for detecting the presence of intestinal sand. Fifteen horses divided into two groups were used in the study. There were seven horses in Group 1 and eight horses in Group 2. All horses were auscultated and determined to be free of sand sounds before initiation of Trial 1. Group 1 horses were given 4.2 g/kg body weight of sand via nasogastric tube using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as a suspending agent at 9.0 ml/kg body weight. Group 2 horses were given CMC only. Horses remained in the same group through all trials. A total of five trails, each lasting 24 hours, was performed. Dosing with sand and CMC or CMC alone was repeated at the beginning of each trial. Abdominal auscultation was performed on each of the 15 horses beginning on Trial 2 by an investigator with no knowledge of the grouping of the horses. The ventral abdomen was auscultated for 5 minutes at 7 hours and 17 hours after trial initiation. When a horse was considered positive for intestinal sand by auscultation, the horse was eliminated from future trials. On Trial 2, no horses were positive; on Trial 3, one horse; on Trial 4, two horses, and on Trial 5, four horses. Sounds considered characteristic for sand in the intestinal tract were eventually identified in all Group 1 horses. No horses in Group 2 were ever identified as having sounds characteristic for intestinal sand at any point during this investigation.

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