Case series evaluating the use of absorbable staples compared with metallic staples in equine ventral midline incisions

Abstract

Summary The objective was to evaluate the use of subcuticular absorbable staples ( SAS ) and compare them with metallic staples ( MS ) in abdominal skin closure for equine abdominal surgery in terms of surgical site infection ( SSI ) reduction. A prospective, randomised clinical trial was carried out on client owned horses presenting for abdominal surgery (n = 42 horses). During surgery, horses were randomly assigned to receive either SAS or MS . Preoperative criteria recorded included age, breed and sex of horse; surgical variables included lesion type, anaesthetic, surgical and stapling times; post operative variables included an anaesthetic recovery quality score and an incisional assessment score. Mean ± s.d. anaesthesia times for small intestinal surgeries between the MS and SAS (228 ± 58.8 min, 234 ± 38.7 min, respectively) and surgical times between MS and SAS (158 ± 58.8 min, 174 ± 26.5 min, respectively) were not significantly different from each other. There was no significant difference in closure times for the MS and SAS (61 ± 14.1 s, 85 ± 35.3 s, respectively). Wound scores for the MS (median score 6) were significantly greater than the SAS (median score 3) until Day 14, after which there was no significant difference between the 2 techniques. No horses in this case series developed a SSI . Although no SSI s were identified in either group, the superior wound score with the SAS together with other in vitro and clinical evaluations in other species suggest that the use of SAS may be potentially beneficial in horses.