Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy as a cause of unexpected cardiac death in two horses.
Postmortem and histological examination of the hearts from two horses, a five-year-old Clydesdale gelding and a 15-year-old cob gelding, revealed changes characteristic of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. In both cases, on gross examination, the right ventricular endocardium and interventricular septum were almost entirely replaced with a gelatinous yellow fibroareolar tissue. This tissue was histologically a combination of fibrous and adipose tissue that had replaced the normal myofibres and disrupted the Purkinje fibres.
Freel
K M
KM
Department of Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG. jk.freel@btopenworld.com
Morrison
L R
LR
Thompson
H
H
Else
R W
RW
D000818:Animals; D019571:Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D002423:Cause of Death; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D004699:Endocardium / Q000473:pathology; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006346:Heart Septum / Q000473:pathology; D006734:Horse Diseases; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male