Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spinal Cord Compression in a Horse due to a Granular Cell Variant of Neurofibroma.
- Journal:
- Journal of comparative pathology
- Year:
- 2017
- Authors:
- Civello, A N E et al.
- Affiliation:
- Royal Veterinary College · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 7-year-old horse was found to have a type of tumor called a granular cell neurofibroma, which was causing problems with coordination in both its front and back legs for about three months. After the horse passed away, a thorough examination showed that the tumor was pressing on the spinal cord, specifically coming from a nerve in the neck area. The tumor was made up of a mix of different cell types and had some unusual features, including swollen cells filled with granules. This case is notable because it's the first time this specific type of tumor has been reported in an animal. Unfortunately, the outcome was not favorable since the horse did not survive.
Abstract
A neurofibroma of granular cell subtype is described in a 7-year-old horse. The horse had a 3-month history of ataxia affecting the forelimbs and hindlimbs, suggesting a C1-C6 neuroanatomical localization. Post-mortem examination revealed an intradural mass arising from the right sixth cervical spinal nerve and compressing the spinal cord. Histologically, the mass was composed largely of wavy spindle cells (a mixture of Schwann cells, perineurial cells and fibroblasts) intimately associated with ropy collagen fibres. Approximately 25% of the spindle cells were swollen and contained densely-packed, eosinophilic and periodic acid-Schiff-positive cytoplasmic granules. Immunohistochemistry for S100 and glial fibrillary acidic protein antigens labelled a proportion of neoplastic cells, while the cytoplasmic granules were positive for S100 and neuron specific enolase. This is the first report of a neurofibroma with granular cell differentiation in an animal. Granular cell differentiation in other peripheral nerve sheath tumours of animals is briefly discussed.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29169628/