Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Scapula fracture secondary to metastatic pulmonary carcinoma in a horse: Clinical, sonographic, radiographic, computed tomographic, and pathologic findings.
- Journal:
- The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Pye, Jannah et al.
- Affiliation:
- William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (Pye · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 20-year-old Quarter horse gelding was brought in because he suddenly couldn't put weight on his right front leg. There was a lot of swelling around his right shoulder, but no unusual sounds were felt when the area was touched. Tests, including ultrasound and X-rays, showed that he had a complete fracture of the scapula (the shoulder blade) caused by a cancerous growth that had spread to the bone. After he passed away, further examination revealed that the cancer had also affected his right lung. The findings indicated that both the lung and shoulder blade issues were due to the same type of cancer, known as pulmonary carcinoma.
Abstract
A 20-year-old Quarter horse gelding was referred for evaluation of an acute onset non-weight-bearing right forelimb lameness. Marked soft tissue swelling was apparent over the right scapula and shoulder region; no crepitus was palpable. A complete transverse fracture of the scapular neck was suspected based on ultrasonography and radiographs were obtained to confirm the presumptive diagnosis. A complete, oblique fracture of the right scapular neck with mild cranial and proximal displacement of the distal fragment was detected. Computed tomography of the upper right forelimb was performed post-mortem; lytic bony destruction of the scapular neck with a secondary pathologic fracture was observed. The lesion was considered most likely neoplastic. At necropsy a complete, comminuted fracture of the right scapula was confirmed, secondary to neoplastic invasion of the bone. A solitary, dorsally located, neoplastic mass was also observed within the parenchyma of the right caudal lung. Histopathologically, the lung and scapula lesions were similar, characteristic of a well-differentiated pulmonary carcinoma.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32165747/