Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Myenteric ganglionitis as a cause of recurrent colic in an adult horse.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Year:
- 2012
- Authors:
- Blake, Karen R et al.
- Affiliation:
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Lipizzaner stallion was seen by veterinarians for about a year and a half due to ongoing episodes of colic, which is severe abdominal pain. Initially, he was treated for stomach ulcers and had changes made to his diet, but these did not help his condition. After further investigation, a surgery revealed a twisted section of his large intestine and a biopsy showed he had myenteric ganglionitis, a rare condition affecting the nerves in the gut. Although he had surgery and was treated with medications, he continued to have colic symptoms and was ultimately euthanized three weeks after leaving the hospital due to a recurring blockage in his intestine. The findings at the time of his death confirmed the diagnosis of myenteric ganglionitis, which is difficult to treat effectively.
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION: A 10-year-old Lipizzaner stallion was evaluated over the course of 1.5 years because of intermittent, recurrent colic. CLINICAL FINDINGS: The horse was initially treated medically for gastric ulcers; dietary changes were made, and a deworming protocol was instituted, without resolution of colic episodes. Subsequently, the horse underwent exploratory celiotomy and a large colon volvulus was identified with diffuse colonic wall thickening. A pelvic flexure biopsy sample was submitted for histologic examination, which revealed lymphocytic (CD3-positive T cells) myenteric ganglionitis (MG). The horse developed a cecal impaction after surgery, which did not resolve, despite aggressive medical management; subsequently a complete cecal bypass was performed. Cecal and colonic wall biopsy samples were evaluated histologically and confirmed the diagnosis of MG. After surgery, the horse developed a large colon impaction, which initially responded to aggressive medical treatment, and the horse was discharged. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Despite rigorous feed restrictions and prokinetic and corticosteroid treatment, the horse continued to have signs of colic and was euthanized 3 weeks after discharge from the hospital because of a recurrent large colon impaction. Intestinal biopsy samples obtained at the time of death revealed chronic changes in intramural ganglia consistent with generalized MG. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: MG is a rare disease in horses, causing gastrointestinal motility dysfunction and signs of colic, which is challenging to diagnose and treat successfully. Further studies are needed to identify the etiology of this disease and to explore treatment options.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22657934/