To evaluate whether hydrocortisone sodium succinate (HSS) aggravates lesions in the laminar tissue secondary to intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (IR), two segments of the jejunum were isolated in 12 halothane-anesthetized horses, and total ischemia was induced on them. Three other horses were used as controls. One hour after the onset of the ischemia, HSS (4.0mg/kg) was administered intravenously to six animals (T group) and saline to the others (NT group). After two hours of ischemia and two hours of reperfusion the abdomen was closed and the horses were allowed to recover from anesthesia. After 12 hours of reperfusion the horses were euthanatized and biopsy specimens were taken from the laminar tissue and the lesions were evaluated and scored. No significant differences between T (0.41) and NT (0.54) groups for laminar lesion scores were observed. The results indicate that HSS did not produce harmful effects in the laminar tissue, suggesting that the occurrence of undesirable effects in the digit are not a limiting factor for using this drug to treat equine patients with acute abdomen.
equine; laminitis; reperfusion; ischemia; hydrocortisone
