REVIEW article
Front. Vet. Sci.
Sec. Veterinary Surgery
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1520491
This article is part of the Research TopicAbdominal Surgery in FoalsView all articles
Urogenital surgery in foals
Provisionally accepted
David Argüelles*
Antonio BuzónAntonia Sánchez-Medina
Elisa Diez De CastroAritz SaituaFernando Bulnes
Raquel Miraz- University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Urogenital surgery in foals represents a nuanced and intricate aspect of equine veterinary medicine. Disorders affecting the urinary system in newborn foals can occur at varying rates, with conditions like uroperitoneum and patent urachus being prevalent. Bladder surgeries are typically conducted through laparotomy, while laparoscopic interventions are less common. Procedures to address umbilical remnants encompass surgeries for persistent urachus or omphalitis. Rarer conditions like ectopic ureters or hydroureters may necessitate sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic measures, including advanced imaging and minimally invasive surgical techniques, despite limited available literature on them. Post-operative complications from urogenital surgeries often involve issues associated with abdominal procedures and potential bladder closure site dehiscence, along with systemic challenges like significant electrolyte imbalances or the risk of sepsis, particularly in cases where foals have not received appropriate passive immunity transfer or pre-operative medical management. This review addresses the prevalent disorders impacting the urogenital system of neonatal foals, emphasizing their surgical treatment, potential risks, and anticipated results. The complexity of neonatal urogenital conditions requires a meticulous approach to the diagnostic work-up and therapeutic plan. Surgical approaches can range from routine to complex, requiring expert knowledge of anatomy and advanced surgical training. Complications occur and the clinician must be prepared to navigate these complications to ensure patients survival
Keywords: Uroperitoneum, Urachus, Ureter, Bladder, Hernia, Omphalophlebitis, umbilical
Received: 31 Oct 2024; Accepted: 23 Apr 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Argüelles, Buzón, Sánchez-Medina, Diez De Castro, Saitua, Bulnes and Miraz. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: David Argüelles, University of Cordoba, Córdoba, Spain
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