• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.123-126
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• 2024

A seven-month pregnant 15-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented with acute abdominal pain to Jeju National University Equine Hospital. At presentation, a nasogastric intubation revealed 10 L of gastric reflux; rectal palpation and ultrasound revealed dilated loops and thickening of the walls of the small intestine. An exploratory laparotomy revealed strangulation of the small intestine due to a large abdominal mass. The mass was double-ligated and resected blindly due to the short pedicle. An enterectomy was not performed as intestinal motility was detected following the mass removal. Histopathological examination confirmed that the mass was a lipoma, measuring 24 cm × 16 cm × 16 cm in size. On day 8 post-surgery, the mare was discharged without complications. This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of strangulation of the small intestine by a pedunculated lipoma, thus providing useful information on lipoma in horses.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.354-359
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• 2023

This case report describes the clinical presentation and successful surgical repair of a diaphragmatic hernia-related small intestinal strangulation in a neonatal foal. A nine-day-old foal presented with colic signs and respiratory distress. History taking showed that the dam of the foal experienced difficulty during delivery, and the owner assisted in delivery by pulling on the foal. Radiography and ultrasonography confirmed the diaphragmatic rent and the presence of a small intestine within the thoracic cavity. Surgical intervention was required to repair the diaphragmatic defect and address the intestinal strangulation. The diaphragm was reconstructed, and the nonviable incarcerated portion of the small intestine was resected and anastomosed using an end-to-end technique. This unusual case report provides insights into the surgical repair and outcomes of an acquired diaphragmatic hernia in a neonatal foal.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.351-354
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• 2009

Diaphragmatic hernias, whether congenital or acquired (traumatic), are rarely observed in the horse. Acquired diaphragmatic hernias typically occur secondary to trauma or an increase in intraabdominal pressure due to falling, heavy exercise, or parturition. Diaphragmatic herniorrhaphy is difficult to perform in adult horses and the horses with symptomatic diaphragmatic hernias usually die. A 10- year old, 340 kg, Jeju horse (crossbred) broodmare with sudden onset of gait disorder and a moderate emaciation was examined. Findings on physical examination included conjunctivitis, dehydration, shallow breathing, dyspnea, weaken heart beat, lack of auscultatable sounds from the gastrointestinal tract, and anorexia. Rectal temperature was $38.4^{\circ}C$ and respiratory rates were moderately increased. There were slight signs of acute colic. The broodmare died one day after non-specific treatment of fluids, nutriment, antibiotics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The cause of death was strangulation of the small intestine through a diaphragmatic hernia. The rent was about 2 cm in diameter and located in the central right part of diaphragm. Around 60 cm of small intestine was protruded into thoracic cavity through the rent. The cause of the hernia could not be ascertained. The broodmare had been pastured with many other horses, and the groom had not noticed any aggressive behavior among them. It was, however, speculated that trauma by stallion's attack may have been the cause of the diaphragmatic hernia, because the new horse may be the object of behaviors ranging from mild threats to seriously aggressive kicking, squealing, rearing, and biting.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.374-379
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• 2015

A 10-year-old gelding Warmblood weighing 560 kg was referred to J&C Equine Hospital with the history of hyperpnea, depression, pawing, and rolling for 7 hours. According to the results of clinical and ultrasound examination, it was considered that intestines were distended with thickened wall. The horse had been treated with lactated Ringers' solution (14 L, IV), flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg, IV), and mineral oil (1 L, PO), but he did not show any responses to those treatments. Exploratory laparotomy was performed and identified incarcerated small intestine through the epiploic foramen. The horse received resection and anastomosis of the entrapped small intestine. After surgery, the horse was treated with intensive postoperative care of fluid therapy (5 L with 20 mEq/L KCl, every 2 hours), flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg, IV, sid), antibiotics (penicillin 22,000 IU/kg, IV, qid and gentamicin 6.6 mg/kg, IV, sid), lidocaine constant rate infusion (bolus 1.3 mg/kg over 15 minutes then 0.05 mg/kg/minute), common nutritional supplements, nasogastric intubation every 2 hours and trunk bandage. Postoperative feeding program had started with small amount of hay every 4 hours and gradually increased to normal amount till 5 days. At 77 days after surgery, he showed sudden outbreak of colic and was euthanized. The causes of colic were small intestinal strangulation by passing through the mesenteric rents and postoperative adhesion between small intestines. According to the results, it is recommended to perform perioperative intensive care of horse with colic and to use several methods to prevent adhesions during abdominal surgery of horses.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.291-297
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• 2019

Bowel ischemia is a life-threatening surgical emergency. We report a case of rapidly progressive bowel necrosis in a previously healthy child without proven mechanical small bowel obstruction. The definite diagnosis was established at the time of an exploratory operation. Of note, imaging studies and even a laparotomy did not reveal any evidence of acute appendicitis or mechanical obstruction such as intussusception or Meckel's diverticulum. During hospitalization, since we could not rule out surgical abdomen after inconclusive image findings, we closely followed the patient and repeated physical examinations carefully. Eventually surgical exploration was performed based on changes in clinical condition, which proved to be the right decision for the patient. We propose that in children with suspected strangulation of small bowel obstruction, especially when imaging findings do not provide a conclusive diagnosis, the timely exploratory surgical approach ought to be chosen based on carefully observed clinical findings and other evaluations.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2007

Intestinal malrotation is usually asymptomatic and most often is found during abdominal exploration for other surgical diseases. However, a serious complication of intestinal malrotation, midgut volvulus is a true surgical emergency of childhood. The clinical findings, diagnostic procedures, treatment, and prognosis of midgut volvulus were reviewed by a retrospective study. Between 1980 and 2005, 29 patients with midgut volvulus ranging in age from 1 day and 15 years were treated at HanYang University Hospital. Seventy-nine percent of the patients presented before 1 month of age. Midgut volvulus occurred 2 times more frequently in male. The clinical findings were bilious vomiting (96.6 %), irritability (34.5 %), abdominal distention (13.8 %), abdominal pain (10.3 %), and palpable abdominal mass (6.9 %). The diagnosis was made by abdominal simple x-ray (17.2 %), upper gastro-intestinal contrast study (37.9 %), abdominal sonogram (20.7 %), abdominal CT (3.4 %), and abdominal exploration (20.7 %). Among the 29 patients, 5 patients developed gangrene of small intestine due to strangulation and underwent resection of bowel. Two patients died due to sepsis.