Hematomyelia in a colt: A post anesthesia/surgery complication

Pathology in Practice

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] Histologically, lesions may be present within the cervical, 9 thoracic, 1,3-6,9,10 lumbar, [1][2][3][4][5][6]8,10 and sacral [1][2][3][4][5]8 portions of the spinal cord. The reported cases are characterized clinically by difficulty or failure of the patient to stand because of hind limb paresis or paralysis following episodes of anesthesia.…”

“…The reported cases are characterized clinically by difficulty or failure of the patient to stand because of hind limb paresis or paralysis following episodes of anesthesia. [1][2][3][4][5][6]8,9 Foci of hemorrhage and edema also extend to the adjacent white matter in some horses. In some horses, the lesions extended into the cauda equina.…”

“…In some horses, the lesions extended into the cauda equina. [1][2][3][4][6][7][8][9][10] It is interesting to note that isoflurane was used in the horse of this report. [1][2][3][4][5][6]8,9 Foci of hemorrhage and edema also extend to the adjacent white matter in some horses.…”

“…In those cases with a longer clinical course following surgery, mild axonal swelling in the adjacent white matter, gray matter endothelial cell hypertrophy, and accumulation of variable numbers of macrophages are also evident. 4,6,8,9 Hypovitaminosis E with resulting destabilization of biological membranes of the spinal cord has also been a considered as a possible risk factor for this condition. Inadequate perfusion of the spinal cord as a result of hypotension or venous congestion and stasis secondary to halothane anesthesia and increased pressure placed on the caudal vena cava by the abdominal viscera when an equine patient is placed and maintained in dorsal recumbency have been hypothesized as possible pathogenic mechanisms.…”

Postanaesthetic spinal cord myelopathy in a Welsh section D pony

“…To date only 32 cases of spinal cord myelopathy have been reported. [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] It is a poorly understood central neurological condition demonstrated by the variety of names and has been referred to by spinal cord myelomalacia, 17 22 postanaesthetic poliomyelomalacia, 10 postanaesthetic haemorrhagic myelopathy, 23 haematomyelia, 14 spinal cord malacia 9 and postanaesthetic myelopathy. 19 20 Table 1 presents the signalment of previously reported cases.…”