Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Use of saline contrast ultrasonography in the diagnosis of complete jugular vein occlusion in a horse.
- Journal:
- Open veterinary journal
- Year:
- 2020
- Authors:
- Corda, Andrea et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Medicine · Italy
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In this case, a horse was diagnosed with a complete blockage of the jugular vein, which is often caused by inflammation or blood clots. The blockage was identified using a special ultrasound technique that involves injecting saline, which is safe and doesn't require x-rays. This method is easy to perform and helps veterinarians see if the vein is open and if there are any alternative pathways for blood flow. The study shows that this ultrasound technique can be a useful way to track the horse's condition and how well treatments are working. Overall, the test proved to be effective for diagnosing and monitoring this type of vein issue in horses.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Thrombophlebitis and thrombosis are the most common causes of jugular vein occlusion in horses. Medical and surgical treatments aim to recanalize the occluded vessel and reduce proximal venous congestion and edema. CASE DESCRIPTION: The present report describes a clinical case of equine jugular vein thrombosis (JVT) with complete vein occlusion diagnosed by saline contrast ultrasonography (SCU) and confirmed by contrast venography. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that the SCU test can be easily performed and objectively interpreted using standard ultrasound equipment; it is not expensive and it does not require x-ray exposure. The SCU test is a valid tool to assess vessel patency and presence of collateral circulation in JVT. The test could therefore be used to monitor the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of therapy against JVT in horses.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33282702/