TY - JOUR
T1 - Pressure algometry for assessment of abdominal wall sensitivity in horses after ventral midline coeliotomy
AU - Visser, Emi MS
AU - Menke, Eveline S.
AU - van Loon, Johannes PAM
PY - 2019/11/1
Y1 - 2019/11/1
N2 - Objective: To assess the clinical course of abdominal wall sensitivity after ventral midline coeliotomy in horses by determining mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) during hospitalization, and to determine the inter-observer reliability of pressure algometry on the abdominal wall. Study design: Observational, cohort study. Sample population: A total of 13 horses presenting with signs of abdominal pain/colic undergoing ventral midline coeliotomy and 10 healthy horses without an abdominal incision. Methods: Measurements were performed on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 postoperatively using a pressure algometer. Measurement sites were marked left and right, abaxial to the abdominal incision. Cranial to the incision, two control points were marked. Measurements were made by one observer, blinded to the recorded MNT values. To determine inter-observer reliability, five horses (surgical group n = 2; nonsurgical group n = 3) were measured by two observers in a randomized order. Results: Mean MNT values on days 5 and 7 were 9.61 Ncm−2 and 10.14 Ncm−2 in the operated group (p = 0.009 ; p = 0.005) respectively versus 13.00 Ncm−2 on day 1. Wound-associated points showed lower values than control points (p = 0.002). The nonsurgical group did not show a difference between control points and wound-associated points (p = 0.06). No significant differences were found between the surgical and the nonsurgical groups at the wound-associated points on any days measured. The inter-observer reliability was low (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.26; Cronbach's alpha of 0.27). Conclusion: Operated animals showed a reduction in MNT values on days 5 and 7 when compared with day 1 and lower values for the wound-associated points when compared with the control points. Inter-observer reliability was low. Pressure algometry could be a useful tool for assessing wound sensitivity after ventral midline coeliotomy in horses, which may improve pain management postoperatively.
AB - Objective: To assess the clinical course of abdominal wall sensitivity after ventral midline coeliotomy in horses by determining mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) during hospitalization, and to determine the inter-observer reliability of pressure algometry on the abdominal wall. Study design: Observational, cohort study. Sample population: A total of 13 horses presenting with signs of abdominal pain/colic undergoing ventral midline coeliotomy and 10 healthy horses without an abdominal incision. Methods: Measurements were performed on days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 postoperatively using a pressure algometer. Measurement sites were marked left and right, abaxial to the abdominal incision. Cranial to the incision, two control points were marked. Measurements were made by one observer, blinded to the recorded MNT values. To determine inter-observer reliability, five horses (surgical group n = 2; nonsurgical group n = 3) were measured by two observers in a randomized order. Results: Mean MNT values on days 5 and 7 were 9.61 Ncm−2 and 10.14 Ncm−2 in the operated group (p = 0.009 ; p = 0.005) respectively versus 13.00 Ncm−2 on day 1. Wound-associated points showed lower values than control points (p = 0.002). The nonsurgical group did not show a difference between control points and wound-associated points (p = 0.06). No significant differences were found between the surgical and the nonsurgical groups at the wound-associated points on any days measured. The inter-observer reliability was low (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.26; Cronbach's alpha of 0.27). Conclusion: Operated animals showed a reduction in MNT values on days 5 and 7 when compared with day 1 and lower values for the wound-associated points when compared with the control points. Inter-observer reliability was low. Pressure algometry could be a useful tool for assessing wound sensitivity after ventral midline coeliotomy in horses, which may improve pain management postoperatively.
KW - abdominal wall sensitivity
KW - horse
KW - pressurealgometry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85072636123&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.vaa.2019.03.008
DO - 10.1016/j.vaa.2019.03.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 31570274
AN - SCOPUS:85072636123
SN - 1467-2987
VL - 46
SP - 820
EP - 828
JO - Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
JF - Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia
IS - 6
ER -