Professor Justus-Liebig University, Giessen, Germany Giessen, Germany
Colic of renal origin is rare in horses. Despite that, horses with recurrent colic should have sonographic examination of both kidneys. Indications for nephrectomy are nephrolithiasis, neoplasia, renal abscesses or other obstructive renal diseases. Left- or right-sided nephrectomy can then be performed as a hand-assisted laparoscopic procedure in the standing sedated horse. Unilateral nephrectomy in the horse represents a rare surgical intervention in the horse, despite a long indication list. Clinical indications for nephrectomy are neoplasias, unilateral pyelonephritis, renal abscesses, ectopic ureter, hydronephrosis as well as obstructive nephrolithiasis and ureterolithiasis. The removal of the kidney is performed with conventional surgery under general anaesthesia in lateral recumbency by either a transcostal or a transthoracic approach, whereby the transcostal approach is favoured for its less complexity. Basically, however, due to the difficult surgical access and the limited vision in the surgical field, the surgical techniques are procedures that are very challenging as to surgical technique, very invasive and afflicted with complications. Alternative to the conventional invasive procedures, today laparoscopic or laparoscopic-assisted surgical techniques have established themselves not only in experimental studies but also clinically in patients.