Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Treatment of primary hyperparathyroidism in a Miniature Horse using chemical ablation of abnormal parathyroid tissue localized by 3-phase computed tomography.
- Journal:
- Journal of veterinary internal medicine
- Year:
- 2022
- Authors:
- Colmer, Sarah F et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Studies · United States
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A 15-year-old Miniature Horse mare was diagnosed with primary hyperparathyroidism, a condition where the body has too much parathyroid hormone leading to high calcium levels in the blood. Tests showed an enlarged mass near her thyroid gland, which was confirmed with advanced imaging techniques. The horse underwent a new treatment where doctors used ultrasound to guide a needle to inject alcohol into the mass, which helped bring her calcium and hormone levels back to normal. This method could be a good option instead of traditional surgery for some horses with this condition.
Abstract
A 15-year-old Miniature Horse mare with persistently increased plasma calcium (total and ionized) and serum parathyroid hormone concentrations was presented for suspected primary hyperparathyroidism. Ultrasonography of the thyroid region identified an enlarged heterogeneous mass axial to the right thyroid lobe suggestive of an enlarged parathyroid gland, which was further confirmed using sestamibi nuclear scintigraphy and 3-phase computed tomography. Percutaneous ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation of the mass, a method not previously described in the horse, was performed under general anesthesia resulting in rapid normalization of plasma ionized calcium and serum parathyroid hormone concentrations. Ablation of abnormal parathyroid gland tissue may be a suitable alternative to surgical resection in certain cases of primary hyperparathyroidism in the horse.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35150016/