Equine Soft Tissue & Colic Surgery Course

Lesson 1 • Vascular and Nerve Supply

Maps major arterial, venous, and neural pathways relevant to equine surgical fields. Prevents iatrogenic injury and informs regional anesthesia and hemostasis strategies.

Lesson 2 • Soft Tissue Structures of the Limbs

Examines tendons, ligaments, bursae, and synovial structures of the equine limb relevant to soft tissue surgery. Establishes anatomical context for tendon repair and synovial procedures.

Lesson 3 • Surgical Wound Healing Principles

Introduces phases of wound healing specific to equine tissue, including exuberant granulation tendencies. Connects tissue biology to suture selection and postoperative management decisions.

Lesson 4 • Abdominal Topography and Landmarks

Covers external and internal abdominal landmarks used to guide incision placement and organ identification. Provides the spatial framework referenced throughout all subsequent surgical chapters.

Lesson 1 • Diagnostic Workup and Imaging

Covers laboratory panels, abdominocentesis, nasogastric reflux analysis, and ultrasonography for surgical decision-making. Integrates diagnostics into a coherent preoperative picture.

Lesson 2 • Fluid and Electrolyte Stabilization

Addresses intravenous fluid therapy, electrolyte correction, and colloid use before surgery. Stabilization directly reduces anesthetic risk and improves intestinal perfusion outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Surgical Risk Stratification

Applies clinical and laboratory data to classify surgical risk and guide owner communication. Stratification informs anesthetic protocol selection and postoperative planning.

Lesson 4 • Patient Preparation and Surgical Site Prep

Details fasting protocols, clipping, skin antisepsis, and urinary catheterization before equine surgery. Proper preparation minimizes contamination and optimizes surgical field access.

Lesson 1 • Suture Materials and Patterns

Compares absorbable and non-absorbable sutures, needle types, and closure patterns used in equine soft tissue and intestinal surgery. Suture selection directly affects healing and complication rates.

Lesson 2 • Equine Surgical Instrument Sets

Identifies instruments specific to equine laparotomy, intestinal, and soft tissue procedures. Correct instrument selection reduces operative time and tissue trauma.

Lesson 3 • Electrosurgery and Hemostasis Techniques

Introduces monopolar and bipolar electrosurgery, ligature techniques, and hemostatic agents for equine procedures. Effective hemostasis is prerequisite to safe intestinal and soft tissue surgery.

Lesson 4 • Surgical Draping and Gowning

Teaches sterile gowning, gloving, and four-quadrant draping technique for equine laparotomy. Establishes the sterile field that must be maintained throughout all operative procedures.

Lesson 1 • Inhalant Anesthesia Maintenance

Teaches isoflurane and sevoflurane maintenance, vaporizer settings, and circuit management for prolonged equine procedures. Addresses hypotension and hypoventilation common in dorsal recumbency.

Lesson 2 • Intraoperative Monitoring and Support

Establishes multiparameter monitoring standards including arterial blood pressure, capnography, and pulse oximetry. Connects monitoring data to real-time anesthetic adjustments.

Lesson 3 • Premedication and Induction Protocols

Covers alpha-2 agonist premedication, ketamine-based induction, and alternative induction agents for compromised patients. Protocol selection is linked to patient risk class established in Chapter 2.

Lesson 4 • Total Intravenous Anesthesia Techniques

Introduces TIVA protocols using ketamine-guaifenesin-xylazine combinations for field and hospital settings. Provides an alternative when inhalant equipment is unavailable or contraindicated.

Lesson 1 • Abdominal Closure Techniques

Covers linea alba closure, subcutaneous layer management, and skin closure options for equine laparotomy. Secure closure prevents incisional hernia, a common postoperative complication.

Lesson 2 • Flank and Paralumbar Approaches

Covers standing flank laparotomy under local anesthesia for cecal and large colon procedures. Provides an alternative approach when general anesthesia risk is prohibitive.

Lesson 3 • Intestinal Exteriorization and Decompression

Teaches safe exteriorization of intestinal segments and trocarization or enterotomy for decompression. Decompression reduces tension and improves visualization for definitive repair.

Lesson 4 • Ventral Midline Laparotomy Technique

Details incision placement, linea alba identification, and peritoneal entry for the standard colic approach. This approach provides the broadest access for intestinal manipulation and resection.

Lesson 1 • Small Intestinal Resection and Anastomosis

Teaches jejunal and ileal resection with end-to-end and side-to-side anastomosis techniques. Anastomotic integrity is the primary determinant of survival in small intestinal colic.

Lesson 2 • Strangulating Lesion Recognition and Management

Develops criteria for assessing intestinal viability and deciding between resection and return of strangulated bowel. Viability assessment directly determines resection extent and prognosis.

Lesson 3 • Cecal and Small Colon Procedures

Addresses cecal impaction bypass, cecal intussusception, and small colon impaction management. These less common lesions require specific anatomical knowledge from Chapters 1 and 5.

Lesson 4 • Intraoperative Complication Management

Prepares students to manage hemorrhage, intestinal rupture, and anesthetic crises encountered during colic surgery. Rapid recognition and response prevent fatal outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Urogenital Soft Tissue Procedures

Introduces bladder rupture repair, urethral extension, and perineal laceration repair relevant to equine practice. These procedures require abdominal access skills developed in Chapter 5.

Lesson 2 • Tendon Laceration Repair

Covers primary and delayed repair of flexor and extensor tendon lacerations using locking-loop and three-loop pulley patterns. Repair technique selection depends on tendon location and contamination level.

Lesson 3 • Umbilical and Inguinal Hernia Repair

Covers open and laparoscopic repair of umbilical hernias in foals and inguinal hernias in stallions. Hernia repair principles build on laparotomy closure techniques from Chapter 5.

Lesson 4 • Synovial Structure Surgery

Teaches arthroscopic and open approaches to infected or traumatized synovial sheaths, bursae, and joints. Prompt surgical intervention prevents irreversible cartilage and tendon damage.

Lesson 1 • Rehabilitation and Return to Work

Designs structured exercise reintroduction, incision support, and follow-up schedules for horses after soft tissue and colic surgery. Rehabilitation planning integrates wound healing principles from Chapter 1.

Lesson 2 • Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Protocols

Covers NSAIDs, opioids, alpha-2 agonists, and lidocaine infusions for multimodal postoperative analgesia. Adequate pain control directly supports GI motility recovery and patient welfare.

Lesson 3 • Postoperative Complication Recognition

Identifies signs of incisional infection, peritonitis, ileus, laminitis, and anastomotic failure. Early recognition enables intervention before complications become life-threatening.

Lesson 4 • Immediate Postoperative Monitoring

Defines vital sign parameters, GI motility assessment, and pain scoring in the first 24 hours after surgery. Early detection of complications depends on systematic monitoring frequency and thresholds.