Introduction

• Rumenotomy: a surgical procedure which involves an incision into the rumen which is subsequently closed by the end of the procedure.
• Rumenostomy (rumen fistulation): the creation of a semi-/permanent fistula between the rumen and the body wall.

Indications

• Rumen surgery may be indicated in cattle for the following reasons:
  • Traumatic reticuloperitonitis (hardware disease).
  • Removal of foreign bodies.
  • Severe bloat.
  • Vagal indigestion.
  • Carbohydrate overload.
  • Evacuation of rumen following ingection of toxins or poisons.
  • Rumen impaction.
  • Impaction/atony of abomasum or omasum.
  • Rumen fluid collection for transfaunation procedures.
• Indicated if no specific diagnosis has been made but the clinical picture appears to indicate involement of the stomachs:
  • Heart rate >100 beats per minute.
  • Reduction in fecal output.
  • Gastrointestinal hypomotility.
  • Abdominal distension.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Experimental procedures.

Advantages: rumenotomy

Advantages: rumenostomy

Technical Problems

Alternative techniques: rumenotomy

Alternative techniques: rumenostomy

Rumenotomy

Therapeutic rumenostomy

Management and prevention

Antibiotic use

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed Papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Lozier J W & Niehaus A J (2016) Surgery of the Forestomach. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 32 (3), 617-628 PubMed.
• Niehaus A J (2008) Surgery of the Forestomach. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 24 (2), 341-347
• Ducharme N G (1990) Surgery of the bovine forestomach compartments. Vet Clin North Am Food Anim Pract 6, 371-397 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• Hendrickson D A & Baird A N (2013) Rumenotomy & Rumenostomy. In: Turner and McIlwraith’s Techniques in Large Animal Surgery. Wiley Blackwell. pp 215-221.
• Scott P R, Penny  C D & Macrae A I (2011) Digestive Tract and Abdomen. In: Cattle Medicine. Manson Publishing. pp 59-93.
• Fubini S L & Ducharme N G (2004) Surgery of the Ruminant Forestomach Compartments. In: Farm Animal Surgery. Ed:  E M Fathman. Saunders. pp 184-196.