Large Animal Diagnostic Imaging Society
Share it:
FacebookTwitter

16-year-old Quarter Horse gelding

January 1, 2016
Meghann Lustgarten, DVM, DACVR North Carolina State University

Chronic drainage from the right jugular furrow for three years duration

  • ladis_com_january_2016_rad2

1 / 1

History:

  • Chronic drainage from the right jugular furrow for three years duration
  • Drainage is purulent, serosanguinous and fairly productive with minimal odor

  • A mildly hyperattenuating rectangular foreign object is identified ventral to and immediately left of the C2-C3 intervertebral disc space, consistent with the reported wood foreign body. The foreign body is bounded by the C2-C3 intervertebral disc/endplates medially and by the left transverse processes of C2 and C3 laterally. There is irregular osseous proliferation and osteolysis associated with cranioventral aspect of the C3 vertebral body/cranial endplate as well as the caudal endplate of C2, the caudal aspect of the left C3 transverse process and cranial aspect of the left C3 transverse process. These changes are consistent with osteomyelitis. There is no definitive evidence of extension of disease within the vertebral canal; however, impingement of the left 3rd cervical spinal nerve by the foreign object is possible.
  1. Foreign object and associated abscess/draining tract, immediately left of C2-C3
  2. Probable osteomyelitis, C2 and C3
  3. Possible left 3rd cranial nerve involvement, no evidence of intra-vertebral canal pathology
  • Exploratory surgery was performed and a piece of wood was removed.
  • A temporary tracheotomy had to be performed during recovery due to decreased oxygenation secondary to post operative swelling.