2015 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

Data was extracted from 135 horses (138 SPL catheters) aged 6 days to 30 years with gender reflective of hospital admission (54 females and 81 males). A range of ophthalmic conditions were treated with SPL's, but the most common were corneal ulceration (n = 51;37%), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 25;18%) and uveitis (n = 22;16%). Duration of SPL was 3-60 days (median 8; IQR 7-15). Complication rates were lowest for medicine residents (10%), when compared with interns (42%), medicine clinicians (27%) and surgeons (16%). There was no difference in complication rate between SPL management at home (15.4%) compared to the hospital (16.1%; P = 0.94). Position of catheter placement were influenced by stage of training (P = 0.04; boarded clinicians were more likely to place catheters in the lower eyelid) and associated with duration of treatment (P = 0.03; longer treatment times associated with SPL's in the upper eyelid). Complications were associated with catheter position (P = 0.03; upper eyelid 12.8% and lower eyelid 22.2%), antimicrobial administration (P = 0.008; 13.2% complication rate when used and 25.0% when not) and plasma administration (P = 0.004; 30.4% complication rate when used and 13.0% when not).