Introduction

• With the aid of small incisions (portals), vets are able to visualize the displaced abomasum and correct this condition endoscopically.
• This minimally invasive technique also allows vets to carry out abdominal exploration and to identify concurrent disease, ie peritonitis, abscess, foreign bodies.
• Endoscopic corrective techniques can be classified into the following two categories:
  1. One-step (or standing) techniques: preparation and correction is performed on the standing animal. Techniques include:
     • Christiansen: with this LDA technique, the abomasopexy point lies caudal to the xiphoid process.  
     • Meyer: with this LDA technique, the abomasopexy point lies cranial to the navel.
  2. Two-step technique: preparation is undertaken on the standing animal, but surgical correction is performed with the animal in dorsal recumbency:
     • Janowitz: this technique may be used to correct LDA or RDA and is useful for general abdominal exploration. The abomasopexy point lies cranially to the navel.

Uses

Advantages

• Minimally invasive.
• Reduced risk of infection.
• Surgeon can fully visualize target organs.
• Patient can join the herd at the next milking.
• Research has indicated that LDA patients treated with endoscopic techniques, produced more milk post-operatively than their Grymer-Sterner corrected counterparts.
• One-step (standing) techniques require 1 assistant only.
• Unique selling point for veterinary practices that apply the technique.

Disadvantages

• Purchase cost of the kit is equivalent to a good quality ultrasound scanner.
• For a multi-branch practice with a limited number of surgeons trained on the technique, day to day management of the endoscopic equipment can present a challenge. Best results are achieved, when there is at least one endoscopic kit allocated per branch and a minimum of 2 trained surgeons in each branch.

Requirements

Preparation

Procedure

Aftercare

Outcomes

Prognosis

• In the author’s experience, uncomplicated cases, will recover and return to normal yields within 10 days.
• The speed or recovery of all other cases depends on the level of complications and nature of concurrent disease.

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• Karvountzis S (2017) Report on the comparison in post-operative milk production between two corrective techniques for left displacement of the abomasum in dairy cattle. Vet Rec.
• Wittek T, Fürll M & Grosche A (2012) Peritoneal inflammatory response to surgical correction of left displaced abomasum using different techniques. Vet Rec 171 (23), 594 PubMed.
• Jorritsma R, Westerlaan B, Bierma M P R & Frankena K (2008) Milk yield and survival of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle after laparoscopic correction of left-displaced abomasum. Vet Rec 162 (23), 743-746 PubMed.
• Newman K D, Harvey D & Roy J-P (2008) Minimally invasive field abomasopexy. Techniques for correction and fixation of left displacement of the abomasum in dairy cows. Vet Clin Food Anim Pract 24 (2), 359–382 PubMed.
• Roy J-P, Harvey D, Bélanger A M & Buczinski S (2008) Comparison of 2 step laparoscopy guided abomasopexy versus omentopexy via right flank laparotomy for the treatment of dairy cows with left displacement of the abomasum in on farm settings. J Am Vet Med Assoc 232 (11), 1700-1706 PubMed.
• Babkine M, Desrochers A, Bouré L & Hélie P (2006) Ventral laparoscopic abomasopexy on adult cows. Can Vet J 47 (4), 343–348 PubMed.
• Mulon P-Y, Babkine N & Descrochers A (2006) Ventral laparoscopic abomasopexy in 18 cattle with displaced abomasum. Vet Surg 35 (4), 347–355 PubMed.
• Seeger T, Kümper H, Failing K & Doll K (2006) Comparison of laparoscopic guided abomasopexy versus omentopexy via right flank laparotomy for the treatment of left abomasal displacement in dairy cows. Am J Vet Res 67 (3), 472-478 PubMed.
• Babkine M & Desrochers A (2005) Laparoscopic surgery in adult cattle. Vet Clin Food Anim Pract 21 (1), 251–279 VetMedResource.
• Boure L (2005) General principles of laparoscopy. Vet Clin Food Anim Pract 21 (1), 227–249 VetMedResource.
• Newman K D, Anderson D E & Silveira F (2005) One step laparoscopic abomasopexy for correction of leftsided displacement of the abomasum in dairy cows. J Am Vet Med Assoc 227 (7), 1142-1147, 1090 PubMed.
• Christiansen K (2000) Laparoskopisch kontrollierte Operation des nach links verlagerten Labmagens (Janowitz Operation) ohne Ablegen des Patienten. Für Studium und Praxis 66/118.
• Janowitz H (1998) Laparoskopische Reposition und Fixation des nach links verlagerten Labmagens beim Rind. Terärtzliche Praxis 26 (G), 308-313.
• Wilson A D & Ferguson J G (1984) Use of a Flexible Fiberoptic Laparoscope as a Diagnostic Aid in Cattle. Can Vet J 25 (6), 229-234 PubMed.