Surgical management of ventral hernia in a calf by hernioplasty using non-absorbable Polypropylene mesh

Abstract

A two month old male crossbred Jersey calf weighing 50 kg was presented to Veterinary Polyclinic, Perambra with a history of progressive swelling on ventral abdomen since birth. The animal had normal feed and water intake, stable vital signs, and a complete blood count with no abnormalities. A large swelling on the left lateral ventral abdomen with a soft hernial ring of approximately 6-7 cm, and a smaller swelling in the caudal abdomen with a hernial ring of about 2-3 cm noticed. After confirming the congenital hernia, the hernial ring in the ventral abdomen was corrected by Hernioplasty using a non-absorbable synthetic polypropylene mesh. The second hernial ring towards caudal abdomen was corrected by Herniorrhaphy. The whole procedure was under recumbency stun anaesthesia protocol. The calf had an uneventful recovery. The hernioplasty using non-absorbable synthetic Polypropylene mesh was found effective for correcting large ventral hernia in calves.