EX VIVO COMPARISON OF LIGATURES ANDHAEMOSTATIC CLIPS FOR MESENTERIC VESSELSOCCLUSION IN SMALL INTESTINAL RESECTION ANDANASTOMOSIS

Background:In equine abdominal surgery extensive resectionand anastomosis of small intestine is a commonly performedprocedure. To provide haemostasis, absorbable ligatures,surgical staplers and vessel sealing devices have beenproposed in horses. Objectives:To compare haemoclips and ligatures, foroccluding equine mesenteric vessels.Methods:Ten portions of jejunum with associated mesentericvessels were collected from 12 horses at a local abattoir anddivided into two groups. In Group A, each mesenteric arterywas ligated with three circumferential ligatures tied with asliding knot with two overthrows. In Group B, each artery wasoccluded with application of three haemoclips. Theprocedures were performed by the same experiencedsurgeon. Intestinal length, construction time and leakingpressure were measured and compared between groups.Results:The bowel length of specimens was 3.78 0.43 m(mean SD) in group A and 3.04 0.83 m in group B. Thedifference was not significantly different (p=0.297). Theconstruction time was 7.03 0.34 min (mean SD) in groupA and 2.40 0.43 min in group B. The difference was highlysignificant (p<0.0001). The leaking pressure was 1000 mmHg(750–1050) (median, IQ range) in group A and 1050 mmHg(800–1050) in group B. The difference was not significantlydifferent (p=0.225).Conclusions:The haemostatic clips are a valid alternative toligatures closed with sliding knots in providing vessel occlusionbut are faster to apply.