New castration method for standing castrations

The procedure involves opening a passage to the abdominal cavity, which means that there is a small risk of 'intestinal prolapse', i.e. abdominal organs can exit through the passage and the open wound. Older stallions and stallions that are considered to be at increased risk of bleeding and intestinal prolapse are usually castrated in a clinic. At the clinic, these stallions are anesthetized and operated on using a method called castration on a covered funicle. The membranes are kept intact by sealing the seminal ducts and membranes with a wire, called a ligature, before removing the testicle. Ligation of the funicle is difficult to perform in standing castrations with current methods without risking contamination of the wire, which can cause infection. Castration methods on an anesthetized horse where the skin incision is stitched together have been shown to have the least complications, but are more costly than castration on a standing horse. Anesthetizing a horse also involves a risk that must be taken into account.

In our research, we want to develop an improved method for standing castrations. Today, the LigaTie® ligation product is available, developed for ligation of blood vessels and tissue in small animals, including dogs. It works like a cable tie and is made of a material that breaks down in the body. By modifying the product to be suitable for larger blood vessels and thicker tissue, it could be used for ligation of the funicle in horses. The aim is to make the product so flexible and easy to use that it can be used for standing castrations of stallions, thereby reducing the risk of serious complications such as bleeding and intestinal prolapse. Initial studies have begun, but further research is needed before the product is ready for clinical trials.