Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Superficial, nonhealing corneal ulcers in horses: 23 cases (1989-2003).
- Journal:
- Veterinary ophthalmology
- Year:
- 2003
- Authors:
- Michau, T M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Sciences · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at 23 horses with superficial corneal ulcers that weren't healing properly. The average age of these horses was about 14 years, and the ulcers had been present for nearly 39 days before treatment. Different treatments were used, including a simple cleaning of the ulcer, a more involved procedure called grid keratotomy, and another called superficial keratectomy, which involves removing part of the cornea. The horses that had just the simple cleaning healed the fastest, taking about 15 days, while those needing the more complex procedures took longer. Overall, the findings suggest that starting with the simplest treatment is best, and more complicated procedures should only be considered if the ulcer doesn't heal with the initial treatment.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To characterize superficial, nonhealing corneal ulcers in the horse and to assess the affect of age, breed, sex, inciting cause of the ulcer, and treatment on healing time of these ulcers. DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Twenty-three horses with superficial, nonhealing corneal ulcerations. PROCEDURE: Medical records from 1989 to 2003 of horses diagnosed with superficial, nonhealing corneal ulcers were reviewed. Signalment, duration of clinical signs, ophthalmic abnormalities, treatment and response to treatment were recorded. Horses were treated, in addition to medical therapy, using debridement, debridement and grid keratotomy, superficial keratectomy, and superficial keratectomy with conjunctival graft placement. RESULTS: Mean age +/- SD of horses was 13.7 +/- 5.8 years. The mean time of presence of the corneal ulceration was 38.9 +/- 21.3 days. Mean time to complete re-epithelialization of the corneal ulcers after treatment was 20 +/- 14.7 days. Horses treated with debridement alone, grid keratotomy and superficial keratectomy healed in a mean time of 15.3 +/- 14.6 days, 16 +/- 12.6 days, and 22.8 +/- 6.7 days, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Horses treated with a single debridement at initial evaluation healed in a significantly shorter time period than horses treated with grid keratotomy or superficial keratectomy. The latter two procedures may be beneficial in the treatment of nonhealing ulceration in horses, but the results of this study suggest that these procedures should only be performed following failure of the ulcer to heal after epithelial debridement.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14641825/