Resident in Equine Surgery Auburn University Auburn, Alabama
Standing Surgery in Horses Among Board-Certified Surgeons: Survey Regarding Current Use and New Trends. Bonilla A, Bonomelli N. Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, Canada.
Despite the fact that publications about equine standing surgeries are flourishing, there is still limited information regarding their use and prevalence among surgeons. Our objectives were to determine the current use and trends for standing surgeries among diplomates and the main reasons or limitations to perform them. A 139-item questionnaire was sent by email to 733 large animal surgery diplomates from November 2020 to February 2021. The survey response rate was 29.7% (218/733). Avoiding general anesthesia (GA) (179/218) and/or reducing the cost (111/218) were the two main reasons to perform standing surgeries whereas the horse’s behavior (183/218) and/or the size/age of the patient (94/218) were the two main limiting factors. Most respondents (59%, 126/214) had been performing standing surgery for less than 10 years. More than 50% of respondents (50%–93%, mean 66%) switched to perform or always performed 20/36 standing procedures listed in the survey in the last 10 years. Surgeons boarded in the last 10 years were more likely to perform 7/36 procedures standing than those boarded more than 10 years ago (P < 0.05). The increased training and awareness for standing procedures during their residency or early career could explain why recent boarded surgeons were more likely to perform some procedures standing. Favorable outcomes in recent literature and technological and anesthetic advancements may also justify why most surgeons switched to perform standing surgeries over the last 10 years. Low response rate. The use of standing surgery is progressively increasing, especially in the last 10 years and among recent diplomates.