Surgical findings impact prognosis in New World camelids undergoing exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the clinical treatment and survival outcomes of New World camelids that underwent exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction.

METHODS

New World camelids that underwent exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction between January 2001 and December 2020 were identified by a medical record search. Signalment; clinical, laboratory, imaging, surgical, and perioperative parameters; and survival to hospital discharge were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with survival to discharge. Owners were contacted for follow-up information a minimum of 6 months following surgery. Survival time was recorded from the electronic medical record and owner survey and compared between surgical finding groups by constructing Kaplan-Meier survival curves and performing log-rank curve comparison.

RESULTS

110 New World camelids underwent exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction. Eighty-eight had proximal gastrointestinal obstruction confirmed at surgery, including 56 with obstruction from trichophytobezoars. Overall survival to discharge was 58%. The final model identified risk factors significantly associated with survival during hospitalization; increased albumin improved odds while increased fibrinogen and phosphorus decreased odds of survival. Survival time was significantly associated with surgical findings, with New World camelids undergoing treatment for trichophytobezoar obstruction having improved survival outcomes compared with other disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

New World camelids undergoing exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction had a fair prognosis, but those with trichophytobezoar obstruction had improved survival.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Trichophytobezoar proximal gastrointestinal obstruction had the best prognosis compared with other disorders in New World camelids undergoing exploratory laparotomy for suspected proximal gastrointestinal obstruction.