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Idiopathic muscular hypertrophy of the oesophagus in the horse: a retrospective study of 31 cases
Author(s) -
Benders N. A.,
Kroeze E. J. B. Veldhuis,
Kolk J. H.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.2746/0425164044864697
Subject(s) - tunica , medicine , pathological , muscle hypertrophy , muscular layer , pathology , fibrosis , histology , muscularis mucosae , anatomy
Summary Reasons for performing study : To present the first report of a case series concerning equine idiopathic muscular hypertrophy of the oesophagus (IMHO). Objectives : To investigate the clinical and pathological features of the disorder. Methods : The medical records of 31 horses suffering from the disorder were reviewed retrospectively. In all these animals the diagnosis was confirmed at post mortem examination. Results : The median age of the affected horses was 12.5 ± 5.6 years (range 1–26) without sex or breed predilection. Only 2 out of 31 horses showed clinical signs associated with oesophageal dysfunction, indicating that the muscular hypertrophy was rather a coincidental post mortem finding. Histology revealed thickening of the distal portion of the oesophagus mainly involving the circular layer of the tunica muscularis without fibrosis or inflammation. In 8 cases, the disorder was seen in concurrence with idiopathic hypertrophy of the tunica muscularis of various other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. Conclusions : In the majority of patients, IMHO was a coincidental finding at post mortem examination usually confined to the smooth, circular muscle layer of the tunica muscularis externa.Potential relevance : Further research is necessary to study the precise effect of IMHO on oesophageal function.