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A retrobulbar meningioma as a cause of unilateral exophthalmos and blindness in a horse
Author(s) -
Naylor R. J.,
Dunkel B.,
Dyson S.,
PazPenuelas M. P.,
Dobson J.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
equine veterinary education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.304
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 2042-3292
pISSN - 0957-7734
DOI - 10.1111/j.0957-7734.2010.00112.x
Subject(s) - medicine , exophthalmos , meningioma , magnetic resonance imaging , histopathology , skull , horse , surgery , radiology , pathology , paleontology , biology
Summary This report describes the unusual diagnosis of a retrobulbar syncytial meningioma in a 16‐year‐old Thoroughbred gelding. The horse initially presented with unilateral left sided exophthalmos and apparent blindness characterised by unilaterally absent menace and pupillary light responses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a well‐defined soft tissue mass intimately associated with the optic nerve. Based on the characteristic MRI appearance, a meningioma was suspected. The eye was enucleated under general anaesthesia and partial excision of the mass was achieved. Histopathology confirmed the diagnosis and the horse underwent a course of adjuvant radiotherapy. Twelve months following surgery the horse is back in work, no neurological abnormalities have been detected and follow‐up computed tomographic imaging of the skull has revealed mild bone sclerosis with no remnants of the mass identified.