[Spanish validation of the Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire-EPIQ]. / Validación de la versión en español del cuestionario "Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire-EPIQ".

INTRODUCTION: One out of three women suffers from pelvic floor disorders. Thus, an instrument to evaluate this pathology in common clinical practice would be very useful. In this study the psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of the US questionnaire "Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire-EPIQ" have been evaluated, in order to test its equivalence to the original and allow for its use in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 60 women with pelvic floor pathology and 60 control women filled in the Spanish version of the EPIQ. The questionnaire was validated following the statistical procedure used in the validation of the original form. RESULTS: Factibility: 113 women filled in all questionnaire items and 7 leaved some of them blank. VALIDITY: 7 dimensions were indentified: quality of life (QoL), overactive bladder (OAB), anal incontinence (AI), micturition difficulty/pain (MD/P), functional defecation disorders (FDD), stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). The validity of contents was proved comparing the mean scores for each dimension in patients and control (T-student test). Positive and negative predictive values were POP=92.3% and 82.52%; SUI= 54.34% and 84.93%; OAB=60.6% and 84.52% and AI=24.32% and 92.68%. Reliability: Global Cronbach's-alfa was 0.94 and for the different dimensions: 0.96 (QoL); 0.91 (OAB); 0.63 (AI); 0.72 (MD/P); 0.75 (FDD) and 0.61 (SUI). DISCUSSION: The Spanish version of the EPIQ questionnaire presents adequate factibility, validity and reliability to evaluate pelvic floor pathology in clinical practice.

Evaluation of common vaginal tunic ligation during field castration in draught colts.

The objective of this study was to determine if ligation of the common vaginal tunic could prevent or reduce the incidence of omental herniation and eventration in draught colts undergoing routine field castration. It was found that common vaginal tunic ligation, while not completely preventing omental herniation and evisceration, significantly reduced the incidence of these complications and should be considered in those males deemed at increased risk of significant post castration complications.

Routine castration in 568 draught colts: incidence of evisceration and omental herniation.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Castration is one of the most common routine surgical procedures performed in the horse, from which a number of potential complications can arise. We undertook a prospective evaluation of short-term complications associated with castration of draught colts over a 3-year period (1998-2000). OBJECTIVES: To compare castration complications in a large number of draught foals with previously published literature. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty-eight draught colts, age 4 or 5 months, were castrated in field conditions. Foals were observed for complications for 24 h post operatively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in complication rates between open and closed surgical techniques. Inguinal/scrotal hernia rate was 4.6% (26/568) prior to surgery, and evisceration of the small intestine occurred in 4.8% (27/568). Foals observed to eviscerate underwent immediate surgical correction with an overall survival rate of 72.2% (13/18). Omental herniation was seen in 2.8% (16/568) of colts. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed no difference between the closed and open techniques of castration and the rate of omental herniation or evisceration. The evisceration rate in combination with the omental and presurgical herniation rates approached 12.2%, which is high enough to warrant further examination. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Future investigation should help to assess predisposing factors for evisceration. Regardless of the technique employed, herniation appears to pose a significant risk to draught foals undergoing castration.