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Open veterinary journal2023; 13(10); 1366-1378; doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i10.17

Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma: Clinical presentation, management, and outcome of seven cases in the United Kingdom.

Abstract: Only 27 cases of equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma have been reported in the literature over the past 37 years. Out of these, 22% of cases were lost to follow-up, 52% were euthanized, and 26% survived. A scarcity of cases and information is available for this rarely seen conjunctival tumour. Unassigned: To describe the clinical features, management, and outcome of conjunctival hemangiosarcoma in seven horses in the UK. Unassigned: Optivet medical records were reviewed for equine cases seen or advised on with a histopathological diagnosis of conjunctival haemangiosarcoma between January 2013 and March 2023. Medical records were accessed for details of signalment, history, management, and follow-up. Histopathology was used to confirm the diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma and assess the surgical margins. Immunohistochemistry was performed in a minority of cases with poorly differentiated solid tumours to support vascular lineage. Unassigned: Seven eyes from seven horses (five geldings and two mares) with a mean age of 16 years and median of 18 years (range 10-21 years) met the criteria. Serosanguinous discharge was seen in six eyes. All eyes were managed surgically; 4 by exenteration and 3 by conjunctivectomy/keratectomy. Adjunctive cryotherapy was performed in two eyes. Metastatic disease in the ipsilateral parotid salivary gland, confirmed with histopathology, was seen in one horse. Surgical margins were clear in all but one eye. Solar elastosis was noted in five eyes. All horses were healthy at the last follow-up (0.2-5 years, mean 2.9 years, and median 2 years). Unassigned: Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma is rare. Serosanguinous ocular discharge is a common clinical sign. Early surgical excision is highly effective. Solar elastosis is a common histopathological feature, suggesting a role for UV-light in the pathogenesis.
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Publication Date: 2023-10-31 PubMed ID: 38027397PubMed Central: PMC10658016DOI: 10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i10.17Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 focuses on the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of seven reported cases of equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma in the UK, a rare type of eye tumour in horses. The study found that surgical excision of the tumour is effective, and initial symptoms often include a bloody ocular discharge.

Methodology

  • The researchers collected data from Optivet medical records, looking for diagnosed cases of conjunctival haemangiosarcoma in horses seen or advised on from January 2013 to March 2023.
  • The horses’ medical records were then searched for relevant details like the horse’s age, gender, medical history, treatment, and any follow-up visits.
  • Through histopathology, a method used to study the microscopic structure of tissues, the diagnosis of haemangiosarcoma was confirmed and the surgical margins assessed.

Findings

  • The study included seven horses, five geldings and two mares, with an average age of 16 years.
  • Serosanguinous discharge, a common symptom of this eye tumour in horses, was seen in six out of the seven horses included.
  • All of the horses underwent surgical treatment, with four of them undergoing exenteration (removal of the entire eye) and the remaining three having a conjunctivectomy/keratectomy (removal of the conjunctiva and cornea).
  • In one case, metastatic disease was detected in the salivary gland on the same side of the diseased eye, confirmed through histopathology.
  • All of the surgical margins were clear, except for one case, indicating successful removal of the tumour.
  • A common histopathological feature found in five horses was solar elastosis, indicating potential damage from UV-light exposure.
  • All the horses were healthy at the last follow-up, which ranged between 0.2-5 years after the procedure.

Conclusions

  • The research concluded that equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma is rare, but its common clinical sign is serosanguinous ocular discharge.
  • All the tumours were successfully managed with surgical removal, indicating that early surgical intervention is highly effective in treating this type of tumour.
  • The occurrence of solar elastosis in most of the horses suggests a potential role of UV-light exposure in causing these tumours.

Cite This Article

APA
Kashani-Carver A, O'Halloran C, Scurrell E, Featherstone H, de Freitas FF, Lowe R. (2023). Equine conjunctival haemangiosarcoma: Clinical presentation, management, and outcome of seven cases in the United Kingdom. Open Vet J, 13(10), 1366-1378. https://doi.org/10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i10.17

Publication

Open veterinary journal
ISSN: 2218-6050
NlmUniqueID: 101653182
Country: Libya
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 10
Pages: 1366-1378

Researcher Affiliations

Kashani-Carver, Andrea
  • Optivet Referrals, Havant, UK.
O'Halloran, Conor
  • Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, UK.
Scurrell, Emma
  • Cytopath Ltd., Ledbury, Herefordshire, UK.
Featherstone, Heidi
  • The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, UK.
de Freitas, Felipe Ferreira
  • EDF Energy UK, Brighton and Hove, Hove, UK.
Lowe, Robert
  • Optivet Referrals, Havant, UK.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Male
  • Female
  • Hemangiosarcoma / diagnosis
  • Hemangiosarcoma / therapy
  • Hemangiosarcoma / veterinary
  • Margins of Excision
  • United Kingdom / epidemiology
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horse Diseases / pathology

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