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Home / Equine Research Bank / Front Vet Sci / Case report: Long term follow-up of a large unilateral epidi...
Frontiers in veterinary science2023; 10; 1145742; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1145742

Case report: Long term follow-up of a large unilateral epididymal cyst in a stallion used for teaching: Is this condition associated with infertility?

Abstract: A 30-year-old Lusitano stallion presented with an enlarged right epididymis. The ultrasound scan revealed a cyst-like formation and the histopathological examination was compatible with epididymal cyst located at the body/tail transition, epididymal spermatocele and sperm granuloma and epididymitis. However, these conditions did not seem to affect the animal's reproductive performance, nor did the semen parameters analyzed over the 8 years after the diagnosis show significant changes. Nevertheless, since the ejaculate contains mostly sperm cells from the tail of the epididymis, where fertile spermatozoa are stored until ejaculated, a deep knowledge of the different conditions that can affect this organ is of the utmost importance.
Copyright © 2023 Silva, Cunha, Carvalho, Ribeiro, Rocha, Amorim and Guimarães.
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Publication Date: 2023-03-29 PubMed ID: 37065254PubMed Central: PMC10090384DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1145742Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study presents an 8-year follow-up investigation into a large, unilateral epididymal cyst in a 30 year-old Lusitano stallion. Despite the findings, the conditions did not affect the stallion’s reproductive performance or semen parameters.

The Stallion and Initial Discovery

  • The study focuses on a 30-year-old Lusitano stallion that was observed to have an enlarged right epididymis, an organ which plays a key role in storing and transporting sperm.
  • An ultrasound scan revealed the presence of a cyst-like formation in the organ.
  • A histopathological examination, which involves a microscopic examination of tissue in order to study the manifestations of disease, confirmed the cyst in the epididymis.

Diagnosis and Conditions

  • The diagnosis pointed to multiple conditions: an epididymal cyst located at the body/tail transition, epididymal spermatocele (a cyst that forms in the epididymis and is filled with sperm), sperm granuloma (a mass that develops as a result of sperm leakage, causing an immune response), and epididymitis (an inflammation of the epididymis).
  • Although these conditions typically have the potential to interfere with fertility, they did not appear to affect this stallion’s reproductive performance.
  • The stallion was followed for eight years after diagnosis and, during this period, no significant changes were noted in the semen parameters examined.

Importance of Knowledge

  • The ejaculate consists mostly of sperm cells from the tail-end of the epididymis, where fertile spermatozoa are stored until they are ejaculated. Therefore, understanding the different conditions that can affect this organ is crucial.
  • The study underscores this point, suggesting that even when these conditions are observed, they do not necessarily lead to infertility or changes in semen parameters over the long term.
  • In this specific case, the stallion was successfully used for teaching purposes, raising further questions about the implications of such conditions on fertility and the need for further research.

Cite This Article

APA
Silva GF, Cunha R, Carvalho F, Ribeiro M, Rocha A, Amorim I, Guimarães T. (2023). Case report: Long term follow-up of a large unilateral epididymal cyst in a stallion used for teaching: Is this condition associated with infertility? Front Vet Sci, 10, 1145742. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1145742

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 1145742

Researcher Affiliations

Silva, Gabriela Fernandes
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
Cunha, Raquel
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
  • Center for the Study of Animal Sciences (CECA), ICETA, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
Carvalho, Fátima
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
Ribeiro, Mário
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
Rocha, António
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
  • Center for the Study of Animal Sciences (CECA), ICETA, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.
Amorim, Irina
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
  • Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto (IPATIMUP), Porto, Portugal.
  • Institute for Research and Innovation in Health (i3S), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
Guimarães, Tiago
  • School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), University of Porto (UP), Porto, Portugal.
  • Center for the Study of Animal Sciences (CECA), ICETA, University of Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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