Morphometrical study was performed to compare the healing process of the descending colon in horses, submitted to two distinctive enterorrhaphies, appositional and inverting patterns. Fifteen healthy horses were used. Surgical intervention was accomplished in the left flank, under inalatory anesthesia. The enterotomies were done in the antimesenteric teniae of descending colon and, the enterorrhaphies, with polyglactin 910 number 0. The horses were randomly distributed in five groups of three animals each, submitted to euthanasia on postoperative period of three, seven, 14, 21 and 35 days and, intestinal segments were removed for morphometric evaluation. Using an image analysis system the numbers of neutrophils, mononuclears and eosinophils were count around of suture material in the two enterorrhaphies. There was difference (P = 0.05) among enterorrhaphies in the neutrophils count, were was increased in the appositional pattern. Mononuclears count showed difference (P = 0.01) in the interaction among the postoperative days and enterorrhaphies. No differences (P > 0.05) were observed in eosinophils count. It was concluded that the inflammation was lesser in the inverting enterorrhaphy, being the preferential option for use in this organ.
descending colon; enterorrhaphy; eqüine; morphometry
