Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Imaging diagnosis-aortic aneurysm and ureteral obstruction secondary to umbilical artery abscessation in a 5-week-old foal.
- Journal:
- Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology Association
- Year:
- 2013
- Authors:
- Nogradi, Nora et al.
- Affiliation:
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 5-week-old male foal was taken to the vet because he had a fever and was passing blood in his urine for three days. Tests showed that the blood was coming from his left ureter, and an ultrasound revealed swelling in his kidney and ureter, along with an infection in the left umbilical artery that had formed an abscess. A CT scan found a large aneurysm (a bulging blood vessel) in the area of the abscess. Unfortunately, when the vets tried to operate, they found that the infection was too severe to remove, and the foal's chances of survival were very low, so he was euthanized. The findings from the imaging tests were confirmed during the necropsy (animal autopsy).
Abstract
A 5-week-old foal was evaluated for fever and hematuria of 3 days duration. Cystoscopy localized the blood to be originating from the left ureter. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed left hydronephrosis, hydroureter, and omphaloarteritis of the left umbilical artery with abscess formation that communicated with an arterial structure. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a large aortic aneurysm within the center of the abscess. An exploratory celiotomy was performed and the infection was nonresectable. The prognosis for life was grave; therefore the colt was euthanized. Necropsy findings confirmed the antemortem diagnosis. Ultrasound and CT imaging in this case provided an accurate antemortem diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23496157/