Bacterial meningitis after sinus surgery in five adult horses.

The research article is about an investigation into cases of meningoencephalitis, a brain and spinal cord inflammation, in five horses after they had paranasal sinus surgery. The authors reviewed the cases to identify any possible common infective pathways, causes, or risk factors.

Research Methodology

• The researchers employed a case series design for this research. This is a descriptive study design that details the profile of each of the individual subjects and their outcomes.
• The subjects of the study were adult horses, with a total of five horses being studied in this research.
• Medical records of the horses, dating between 2005 and 2010, were thoroughly reviewed. The aim was to identify potential risk factors, the cause (or causes), and any common pathways for infection that led to the horses developing neurologic signs after sinus surgery.

Research Findings

• The underlying medical conditions leading to the surgery included both primary and secondary sinusitis. Specifically, one case was primary sinusitis, while the remaining four cases were secondary sinusitis. The causes of the secondary sinusitis were varied, emerging from apical dental infection, sinus cyst, or masses in the ethmoturbinate region.
• All the horses were treated using standard surgical procedures and postoperative care strategies. This included repeated sinus lavage, a procedure intended to rinse away any infection or debris from the sinus cavities.
• Despite administering antimicrobial therapy, four out of the five horses continued to show undulating (fluctuating) pyrexia (fever) after the operation.
• All horses, at some point, developed neurological signs, which did not respond to the treatment administered. Further, each horse was found to have suppurative meningoencephalitis (a form of inflammation resulting from the collection of pus in the brain) at the time of necropsy.

Conclusions and Implications

• The researchers concluded that meningitis is a rare yet deadly complication that can arise after sinus surgery in horses.
• This study could have implications for veterinary surgical practices and postoperative care strategies, particularly in relation to sinus surgery. The information gleaned from this research can be used to improve preoperative screening for infection risks and postoperative monitoring for neurologic signs and symptoms.