Intestinal encarceration in epiplóico forame: Case report in equine

Abstract

The epiplastic foramen is a natural opening in the thoracic cavity that communicates with the abdominal cavity, located dorsally to the cleft of the liver, contacting the caudal vena cava, portal vein, pancreas, hepatoduodenal ligament and with the small intestine loops. Horses diagnosed with intestinal loop incarceration in the epiplastic foramen require surgical treatment, with a prognosis of being reserved to unfavorable, and the ileum is the intestinal segment most affected in this disease. In addition, because of a strangulative process, the animal shows signs of abdominal discomfort called colic and enterogastric reflux, but clinical signs are variable. Some animals in the palpation present palpable small intestine or not and abdominal discomfort varying from mild to severe. The objective of this work is to report a case of a 5-year-old female Quarter Horse, weighing 430 kg, with a history of abdominal discomfort two days ago and with intermittent pains, from the municipality of Batatais, Veterinary Hospital of Batatais, addressing the animal clinic, diagnosis and treatment. In the rectal palpation he identified slightly distended loops and palpable small intestine and puncture of the peritoneal fluid through the abdominocentesis showed a reddish coloration. The animal was under observation, but even with all the clinical interventions, the pain picture increased and with that it was submitted to exploratory laparotomy, where the incarceration was diagnosed in the epiplastic foramen. In view of the clinical case, it was concluded that the incarceration of the epiplastic foramen may lead to significant intestinal loops involvement, progressing to destabilization of the general state of the animal, being aggravating factors for the surgical procedure, becoming a case of risk of the patient. The animal in this report was submitted to euthanasia due to the great compromise of the intestinal loops. It is concluded that the diagnosis should be performed as early as possible, increasing the chance of resolution with favorable prognosis.