Surgical management of right dorsal displacement of the large colon in six horses

This paper describes the surgical management of right dorsal displacement of the large colon in six horses, which were showing mild to moderate abdominal distension and pain that did not respond to medicinal treatment. Exploratory celiotomy was performed in all the animals anaesthetised using a combination of xylazine (1.1 mg/kg b.wt) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg b.wt), administered intravenously. After intubation, the animals were maintained with isoflurane (2%) inhalation anaesthesia. Following midline celiotomy, the pelvic flexure enterotomy and cecotomy were performed to evacuate the contents of the large colon, before closing the abdominal wound and pelvic flexure replaced in normal anatomic orientation. Out of six horses four recovered successfully.