Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Age distributions of horses with strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma or in the epiploic foramen: 46 cases (1994-2000).
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2001
- Authors:
- Freeman, D E & Schaeffer, D J
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at 46 horses to see if older horses are more likely to have their small intestine strangled by a lipoma (a type of fatty tumor) or in the epiploic foramen (a space in the abdomen). The researchers found that horses with strangulation caused by a lipoma were much older, averaging about 19 years, compared to those with other intestinal issues. However, the average age of horses with strangulation in the epiploic foramen was similar to those with other problems, suggesting that age doesn't increase the risk for that type of strangulation. Overall, the findings indicate that while older horses are at a higher risk for strangulation by a lipoma, age does not seem to affect the risk for strangulation in the epiploic foramen.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma or in the epiploic foramen is more common in older horses. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: 46 horses. PROCEDURE: Ages of horses with strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma (n = 29) or in the epiploic foramen (17) were compared with ages of 79 horses with miscellaneous small intestinal lesions. Effects of increasing age on risk of the diseases of interest were examined by use of logistic regression and a 1-sided trend test for binomial proportions. RESULTS: Mean age of the horses with strangulation in the epiploic foramen (9.6 years) was the same as that for the horses with miscellaneous small intestinal lesions (7.7), but mean age of the horses with strangulation by a lipoma (19.2) was significantly greater than that for the other groups. The proportion of horses with lipoma increased significantly with increasing age, but the proportion with strangulation in the epiploic foramen did not. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results refute the current suggestion that increasing age predisposes horses for strangulation of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen but support the suggestion that the risk of strangulation of the small intestine by a lipoma increases with age.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11439778/