Page 184 - Manual of Equine Field Surgery
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180                        OPHTHALMIC  SURGERIES







                        only  a  portion  of  the  palpebral  fissure  may  be                                                                     cornea.  Either  situation  predisposes  the patient  to


                        closed  to  cover  a localized  lesion.  In  either  case,                                                                  corneal  ulceration,  and  such  sutures  should  be


                        the sutures  are temporary.                                                                                                removed  or  replaced  immediately,  As  noted  for

                                                                                                                                                   postoperative  care,  the  palpebral  fissure  may



                                                                                                                                                   begin  to "gap" as early  as 7  days postoperatively;


                        POSTOPERATIVE CARE                                                                                                          tarsorrhaphies  that  are  "gapped"  should  be


                                                                                                                                                    removed  or replaced  to prevent  ulceration.





                            Postoperativefare                                          -,~
                                                          ·



                            Protedion and Cleaning: The  eye  should  be                                                                            REFERENCES


                            covered  with  a  protective  eye  cup  to  prevent


                            rubbing.  The cup should  be cleaned  daily,  and the                                                                   1.  Miller  TR:  Principles  of therapeutics,  Vet Clin N Am


                            ta.rsorrhaphy  should  be  inspected  for·  potential                                                                         Equine  8:479,  1992.


                            complications.                                                                                                          2.  Andrew  SE,  Brooks  DE,  Biros  DJ,  et  al:  Posterior

                            Suture  Removal:  The  palpebral  fissure  will                                                                               lamellar  keratoplasty  for treatment  of deep  stromal


                            begin to "gap" open to expose the sutures,  usually                                                                           abscesses in nine horses,  Vet Ophthalmol  3:99, 2000.


                            in  7  to  l O  days.  This  exposed  suture may  rub the                                                               3.  Brooks  DE:  Equine  ophthalmology.  In  Gelatt  KN,


                            cornea  and  could  lead  to  corneal  ulceration.  The                                                                       editor:  Veterinary  ophthaltnology,  ed 3, Philadelphia,


                            sutures  should  be  removed  or  replaced  when                                                                               1999,  Lippincott,  Williams  & Wilkins.


                            gapping  begins  to  occur.                                                                                             4.  Slatter  D,  Hanson  S,  deLahunta  A:  Neurooph-

                                                                                                                                                           thalmology,  !11  Slatter  D,  editor:  Pundamentals  of


                                                                                                                                                           veterinary ophthalmology,  ed  3,  Philadelphia,  2001,


                                                                                                                                                          WB  Saunders.



                         COMPLICATIONS                                                                                                               5.  Millicham.p  NJ:  Ocular  trauma,  Vet  Clin  N  Am

                                                                                                                                                           Equine  8:521,  1992.

                                                                                                                                                     6.  Samuelson  D:  Ophthalmic  anatomy,  In  Gelatt KN,

                         If  the  mattress  sutures  are  placed  too  shallow                                                                             editor:  Veterinary  ophthalmology,  ed 3, Philadelphia,


                         within  the  eyelid  or  exit  too  far  anterior  to  the                                                                        1999, Lippincott, Williams  & Wilkins.


                         meibomian  glands,  the  inverting  nature  of  the                                                                         7.  Slatter D:  Principles of ophthalmic st1rgery. In Slatter


                          suture  pattern  may  cause  the  eyelid  margins  to                                                                            D, editor:  Fundamentals  of veterinary  ophthalmology,

                                                                    •
                          rub the cornea  (i.e.,  entropion).  If the sutures  are                                                                         ed 3, Philadelphia, 2001,  WB Saunders.


                          placed  too  deep  ( e.g.,  through  the  conjunctival                                                                     8.  Miller  TR: Eyelids.  In Auer J, Stick J, editors:  Eq·uine



                          surface),  the  suture  material  may  contact  the                                                                              sitrgery,  ed 2, Philadelphia,  1999, WB  Saunders.
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