Incisional complications after skin closure with n-butyl cyanoacrylate or stainless-steel skin staples in horses undergoing colic surgery.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of incisional complications after skin closure with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBC) or stainless-steel skin staples (SS) after ventral midline celiotomy for colic surgery in the horse.

Study Design: Retrospective study (2014-2018).

Animals: Two hundred eighteen horses.

Methods: Medical records of horses that underwent exploratory celiotomy for colic were included when the skin was closed with NBC or SS and the horse survived ≥15 days after surgery. Records and a follow-up questionnaire were used to determine in-hospital and posthospital discharge incisional complications. Associations between variables were assessed by using bivariable and multivariable analysis.

Results: The cutaneous incision was closed with SS in 113 of 218 (51.8%) horses and with NBC in 105 of 218 (48.2%) horses. Follow-up information was available in 166 of 218 horses. Five horses with incisional complications prior to discharge but without follow-up were included in the overall analysis. Incisional complications were recorded in 17.5% (30/171) of horses, including 19.1% (17/89) of closures with SS and 15.9% (12/82) of closures with NBC (P = .54). Complications occurred before discharge in 14 of 218 (6.4%) horses and after discharge in 16 of 166 (9.6%) horses. Four horses with in-hospital incisional complications (surgical site infection) developed a second complication after discharge (hernia). Packed cell volume was a risk factor for in-hospital incisional complications (P = .04), and in-hospital incisional complications were associated with posthospital discharge incisional complications (P = .01).

Conclusion: Occurrence of incisional complications did not differ between NBC and SS.

Clinical Significance: N-butyl cyanoacrylate is a suitable alternative to SS to close the cutaneous incision for ventral midline celiotomy for colic surgery in the horse.