Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications of a permanent transvenous pacing catheter in a horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of comparative pathology
- Year:
- 1989
- Authors:
- Hamir, A N & Reef, V B
- Affiliation:
- School of Veterinary Medicine · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This case involves a 9-year-old horse that had permanent heart pacing catheters placed in its body 18 and 34 months before it passed away. After examining the horse, the veterinarians found serious issues, including blood clots and a lot of bacteria around the wires of the electrodes, which are the parts that help control the heart's rhythm. There was also a severe infection in the heart lining near where one of the electrodes was attached, and the other electrode was deeply embedded in the heart muscle, surrounded by thick scar tissue. The findings suggest that the horse had a severe bacterial infection in its bloodstream related to these heart implants. Unfortunately, these complications contributed to the horse's death.
Abstract
Gross and histopathological findings in a 9-year-old horse implanted with permanent transvenous pacing cardiac catheters, 18 and 34 months before its death, are described. Lesions consisting of extensive fibrino-haemorrhagic thrombi with large numbers of bacterial colonies were present along the electrode wires and on mural and valvular endocardial surfaces of the right heart. There was a locally extensive area of suppurative endocarditis around the attachment site of the atrial electrode, which was loosely attached by a thin band of membranous tissue to the endocardium. The ventricular electrode was firmly embedded in the myocardium and was surrounded by a dense area of fibrous connective tissue in which multifocal mineralized areas were seen. Histologically, there was evidence of terminal bacteraemia. The observed lesions are discussed with respect to findings in man and other animals with similar cardiac implants.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2584450/