Acute pelvic limb paralysis induced by a lumbar fibrocartilaginous embolism in a sow.
A diagnosis of fibrocartilaginous embolism was made in a mature mixed-breed sow with a history of an acute onset of pelvic limb paralysis. Within a single section of lumbar spinal cord, there was severe focally-extensive infarction of the right ventral gray horn. Within affected white matter, there was dilatation of multiple myelin sheaths with concurrent axonal swelling. A smaller focus of infarction was present on the contralateral side. Arteries at the periphery of both lesions contained a blue-gray material with staining characteristics similar to that evidenced by the nucleus pulposus present within intervertebral discs. Grossly, no abnormalities were present within the vertebral column.
Johnson
R C
RC
Department of Pathology, New York State College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca 14853.
Anderson
W I
WI
King
J M
JM
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D004617:Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007238:Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000209:etiology*