Applicability and effect of a vacuum-assisted wound therapy after median laparotomy in horses

In a randomized, prospective, clinical trial the applicability of a vacuum therapy system was evaluated at the ventral abdomen in 50 horses with laparotomy due to acute abdominal pain. The effects on the incidence of wound healing complications after ventral median laparotomy in horses with acute abdominal pain is described. The horses were allocated to the treatment or control group after laparotomy and equipped with a wound dressing and a vacuum (125 mmHg) or with the wound dressing alone. Relevant parameters were collected preoperatively, intraoperatively, six consecutive days postoperatively, and three and eight weeks after surgery. Pre-, intra- and postoperative parameters were not significantly different between the groups. Nine horses (36%) in the treatment group and four horses (16%) in the control group developed a wound healing complication. This difference was not statistically significant and neither were the differences in oedema formation and the occurrence of dehiscence. No significant differences concerning exudation, oedema or dehiscence were found between the groups three and eight weeks after surgery. Overall, the vacuum system used in this study is an easy to apply system for general use at the ventral abdomen of the horse, with good toleration by the patients. The results indicate that the use of vacuum therapy for primary closed wounds after median laparotomy has no beneficial effect on wound healing.