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Irish veterinary journal2013; 66(1); 13; doi: 10.1186/2046-0481-66-13

Dysphagia caused by focal guttural pouch mycosis: mononeuropathy of the pharyngeal ramus of the vagal nerve in a 20-year-old pony mare.

Abstract: A 20-year-old pony mare was presented to the equine hospital with a ten-day history of dysphagia, regurgitation and coughing. An obstruction of the oesophagus was excluded via endoscopy, but the proximal oesophagus appeared to be distended and circular contractions were missing. A guttural pouch endoscopy revealed a single, black-mottled plaque on the pharyngeal ramus of the vagus nerve in the left guttural pouch, causing a local swelling of this nerve. The pharyngeal ramus seemed to be atrophic distal to the lesion. A biopsy was taken from the lesion and histopathological findings proved the reasonable suspicion of a guttural pouch mycosis with a high degree of purulent-necrotic inflammation and invasion of fungal hyphae. There were no signs of neoplasia, such as melanoma. Daily guttural pouch irrigations with a clotrimazole emulsion (20 g Canesten(®) Gyn(4) solved in 500 ml water), led to a good recovery of the mucosa above the nerve. Periodic endoscopic examination of the left guttural pouch showed that local thickening and distal atrophy of this pharyngeal ramus did not improve, neither did the clinical symptoms. Due to progressive weight loss, acute respiratory distress and aspiration pneumonia, the 20-year-old pony mare unfortunately had to be euthanized three weeks after discharge. This case report emphasizes the enormous importance of a single nerve for the realization of the swallowing process. The one-sided loss of function of the pharyngeal branch of the vagal nerve cannot be compensated neither by the remaining ipsilateral nerves nor by the contralateral normal functioning glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves and thus inevitably leads to severe dysphagia.
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Publication Date: 2013-07-11 PubMed ID: 23845027PubMed Central: PMC3710512DOI: 10.1186/2046-0481-66-13Google 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 research article discusses the case of a 20-year-old pony mare that suffered from dysphagia (difficulty swallowing), caused by a unique condition known as focal guttural pouch mycosis located on the pharyngeal ramus of the vagal nerve. Despite attempts at treatment, the pony’s underlying symptoms did not improve, resulting in euthanasia.

Clinical Presentation and Investigation

  • The case begins with a 20-year-old pony mare showing symptoms of dysphagia, regurgitation, and coughing that had been ongoing for ten days. Through endoscopy, a blockage in the oesophagus was ruled out, although there were signs of distension and lack of typical circular contractions in the proximal oesophagus.
  • A guttural pouch endoscopy showed black-mottled plaque affecting the pharyngeal ramus of the vagal nerve located in the left guttural pouch. It led to a localized swelling of the nerve and the pharyngeal ramus appeared to be atrophic distally to the lesion.

Diagnosis and Treatment

  • A biopsy confirmed the suspicion of guttural pouch mycosis, a fungal infection associated with necrotic, purulent inflammation. The presence of neoplasia, like melanoma, was not detected.
  • Treatment involved daily irrigations of the guttural pouch with a clotrimazole emulsion, which showed a positive effect on the overlying mucosa’s recovery. However, periodic endoscopies showed no improvement in the local thickening and distal atrophy of the affected nerve, and the clinical symptoms persisted.

Outcome and Conclusion

  • Due to increasingly severe symptoms, including weight loss, acute respiratory distress, and aspiration pneumonia, the mare was euthanized three weeks after discharge.
  • The study concludes by highlighting the critical role of a single nerve in the swallowing process. The loss of function in one pharyngeal branch of the vagal nerve lead to severe dysphagia – a hardship that could not be compensated by the remaining nerves. This case study emphasizes the need for further research into neurological dysfunctions contributing to dysphagia and potential treatment avenues.

Cite This Article

APA
Eichentopf A, Snyder A, Recknagel S, Uhlig A, Waltl V, Schusser GF. (2013). Dysphagia caused by focal guttural pouch mycosis: mononeuropathy of the pharyngeal ramus of the vagal nerve in a 20-year-old pony mare. Ir Vet J, 66(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/2046-0481-66-13

Publication

Irish veterinary journal
ISSN: 0368-0762
NlmUniqueID: 0100762
Country: Ireland
Language: English
Volume: 66
Issue: 1
Pages: 13

Researcher Affiliations

Eichentopf, Annemarie
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Snyder, Alice
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Recknagel, Stephan
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Uhlig, Albrecht
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Waltl, Veronika
  • Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 33, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
Schusser, Gerald Fritz
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 11, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Bhattacharjee S, Ceri Davies D, Holland JC, Holmes JM, Kilroy D, McGonnell IM, Reynolds AL. On the importance of integrating comparative anatomy and One Health perspectives in anatomy education. J Anat 2022 Mar;240(3):429-446.
    doi: 10.1111/joa.13570pubmed: 34693516google scholar: lookup
  2. Whitehead AE, Whitty J, Scott M, Léguillette R. Reversible dysphagia secondary to guttural pouch mycosis in a gelding treated medically with voriconazole and surgically with carotid occlusion and esophagostomy. Can Vet J 2018 Feb;59(2):165-170.
    pubmed: 29386677
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