Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Postmortem diagnosis of venous air embolism in a Wielkopolski horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary diagnostic investigation : official publication of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, Inc
- Year:
- 2025
- Authors:
- Majcher, Anna M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology · Germany
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 9-year-old female Wielkopolski horse, weighing 538 kg, was found lying down in her stall nine days after surgery on her left hind hoof. She had an intravenous catheter that was not connected, and despite immediate efforts to save her, she died within minutes. The veterinarians suspected she had venous air embolism, which is when air bubbles enter the bloodstream and can be fatal. They performed an autopsy and found gas bubbles in her heart, confirming that this was indeed the cause of her death. This case highlights that venous air embolism, while rare, can occur in horses and provides a method for diagnosing it in large animals.
Abstract
Nine days after a surgical intervention due to an injury of the left hind hoof capsule, a 9-y-old, 538-kg female Wielkopolski horse was found recumbent in its stall with an unplugged permanent intravenous catheter positioned in the left jugular vein. Despite immediate resuscitation attempts, the animal died within minutes. Suspecting venous air embolism, radiographic imaging and detailed postmortem examinations were performed. However, visualization of the heart by radiography was hindered by the animal's body mass and postmortem changes. The autopsy followed a modified Richter method, originally developed for diagnosing air embolism in humans. The horse was positioned in left lateral recumbency to allow in situ access to the atria and venous sinuses. Gas bubbles observed in the right atrium and ventricle confirmed venous air embolism as the cause of death. Venous air embolism is a rarely documented cause of death in veterinary pathology. We present here an autopsy protocol for diagnosis of venous air embolism in large animals, which is primarily a macroscopic diagnosis.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40842091/