Incidence, diagnosis and treatment of postoperative complications in colic cases

Abstract

Summary A survey of 259 surgical colic cases revealed that over 50 per cent of fatalities occurred in the postoperative period. Post‐operative ileus and circulatory/endotoxaemic shock accounted for 70 per cent of these deaths. Other less important complications were salmonellosis, long bone fracture, adhesions, haemorrhage, laminitis, wound infection and ischaemic muscle damage. Close monitoring of postoperative progress is necessary to enable early diagnosis and treatment. Recent developments in understanding of the pathophysiology of endotoxic shock and ileus may lead to more successful treatment regimes. The possibilities include the use of cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitors, anti‐endotoxin hyperimmune serum and dopamine antagonists.