Bacterial meningitis after sinus surgery in five adult horses.
OBJECTIVE
To report meningoencephalitis as a complication after paranasal sinus surgery in 5 horses.


METHODS
Case series.


METHODS
Adult horses (n = 5).


METHODS
Medical records (2005-2010) of 5 horses that developed neurologic signs after sinus surgery were reviewed to identify potential risk factors, cause(s), or common pathways for infection.


RESULTS
Underlying diseases were primary (n = 1) and secondary sinusitis (4) because of apical dental infection (1), sinus cyst (2), or masses in the ethmoturbinate region (2). Horses were treated by conventional surgical approaches and aftercare including repeated sinus lavage. Four horses had undulating pyrexia postoperatively despite antimicrobial therapy. All horses developed neurologic signs, eventually unresponsive to treatment. Suppurative meningoencephalitis was diagnosed macro- and/or microscopically on necropsy in all horses.


CONCLUSIONS
Meningitis is a rare but fatal complication after sinus surgery in horses.
Equine Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Fabienne S
FS
Bach
Gabor
G
Bodo
Jan M
JM
Kuemmerle
Astrid
A
Bienert-Zeit
Edmund K
EK
Hainisch
Hubert
H
Simhofer
D000818:Animals; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010254:Paranasal Sinus Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies