Multifocal ischaemic encephalomyelopathy associated with fibrocartilaginous emboli in the lamb.
Multifocal, arterial, fibrocartilaginous embolism of the cervical spinal cord, medulla oblongata and cerebellum is described in a neonatal lamb. The emboli contained mucosubstances which, by the Alcian blue critical electrolyte concentration method, were identified as mainly keratan sulphate. This composition indicates the probable origin of emboli from the nucleus pulposus of intervertebral discs. Possible modes of entry of such material into the spinal cord vasculature are reviewed and a mechanism proposed to explain the localization of emboli in spinal cord, brain stem and cerebellar arteries in this case.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000098:blood supply*; D004617:Embolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007403:Intervertebral Disc; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary