Histopathological findings in equine sinonasal disorders.
Abstract: Biopsies collected from 79 referred cases of equine sinonasal disease, including 27 horses with primary sinusitis, 10 with secondary dental sinusitis, 19 with sinus cysts, 11 with progressive ethmoid haematomata (PEH), 4 with false nostril epidermal inclusion cysts, 4 with sinonasal polyps, 3 with sinonasal mycosis and from 2 control animals were examined histologically. Observations were made on epithelial type and integrity, cellular inflammatory response, fibroplasia and presence of potential pathogens. Chronic inflammatory changes including mucosal thickening, ulceration and significant fibroplasia, were found in the sinus mucosa with most sinus disorders, similar to those found in human chronic sinusitis. Bacteria were variably present on sinusitis mucosae but their aetiological significance was unclear. The presence of apparently irreversible changes including fibroplasia in some of these sinusitis cases may explain their poor or delayed response to treatment. Sinus cysts had histological similarities to human mucocoeles. Progressive ethmoid haematomata showed recent and older haemorrhage, as did sinus cysts (and occasionally some chronic sinusitis sections), but support for a common aetiology between sinus cysts and PEH was absent.
Publication Date: 1999-08-24 PubMed ID: 10454087DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb03820.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- 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 study looks at the histological examination of biopsy samples from 79 horses diagnosed with various sinonasal disorders. Different features such as type and integrity of epithelial, inflammatory cellular response, fibroplasia, and presence of pathogens were observed. The findings uncovered chronic inflammatory changes similar to human sinusitis and some pathological characteristics with unclear cause-and-effect relationships.
Methodology and Sample Population
- The biopsy samples were collected from a total of 79 horses suffering from different predominant sinonasal diseases. This included 27 horses with primary sinusitis, 10 with secondary dental sinusitis, 19 with sinus cysts, 11 with progressive ethmoid haematomata (PEH), 4 with false nostril epidermal inclusion cysts, 4 with sinonasal polyps, 3 with sinonasal mycosis, and 2 control animals with no known disorders.
Observations and Findings
- The authors made several observations based on qualities such as epithelial type and integrity, cellular inflammatory response, fibroplasia, and the presence of potential pathogens in the tissue samples.
- Most horses with sinonasal diseases exhibited chronic inflammatory changes including mucosal thickening, ulceration, and significant fibroplasia, phenomena also observed in human chronic sinusitis.
- Although bacteria were variably present on the sinusitis mucosae, their role in causing the sinusitis is unclear.
- Some cases showed irreversible changes, including fibroplasia. This may explain why some horses with sinus diseases respond poorly or show delay in response to treatment.
Comparisons and Contrasts
- Sinus cysts in the sample horses had histological similarities to human mucocoeles.
- The analysis of progressive ethmoid haematomata revealed discernible recent and older haemorrhage, an observation also made for sinus cysts and, to some degree, chronic sinusitis cases.
- Despite the presence of haemorrhage in both sinus cysts and PEH, no evidence supporting a common cause between these two disorders was found.
Implications of the Study
- This study broadens the understanding of the histopathological characteristics of equine sinonasal disorders and provides a basis for comparison with similar human conditions.
- The findings can help direct future research on the aetiology of these diseases, as well as improving diagnostic accuracy and the treatment strategies for different equine sinonasal disorders.
Cite This Article
APA
Tremaine WH, Clarke CJ, Dixon PM.
(1999).
Histopathological findings in equine sinonasal disorders.
Equine Vet J, 31(4), 296-303.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb03820.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Midlothian, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arteriosclerosis / pathology
- Arteriosclerosis / veterinary
- Biopsy / veterinary
- Cysts / pathology
- Cysts / veterinary
- Ethmoid Sinus / pathology
- Granuloma / pathology
- Granuloma / veterinary
- Hematoma / pathology
- Hematoma / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Mycoses / pathology
- Mycoses / veterinary
- Nasal Cavity / pathology
- Nasal Mucosa / pathology
- Nasal Polyps / pathology
- Nasal Polyps / veterinary
- Nose Diseases / pathology
- Nose Diseases / veterinary
- Paranasal Sinus Diseases / pathology
- Paranasal Sinus Diseases / veterinary
- Paranasal Sinuses / pathology
- Sinusitis / pathology
- Sinusitis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Proost K, Boone MN, Josipovic I, Pardon B, Chiers K, Vlaminck L. Clinical insights into the three-dimensional anatomy of cheek teeth in alpacas based on micro-computed tomography - Part 2: Maxillary cheek teeth. BMC Vet Res 2022 Jan 3;18(1):6.
- Vlaminck L, Pollaris E, Vanderperren K, Tremaine WH, Raes E. Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Idiopathic Primary Sino-Nasal Obstruction in Miniature Horse Breeds: Long-Term Follow-Up of Seven Cases. Front Vet Sci 2021;8:680150.
- Schwieder A, Pfarrer C, Ohnesorge B, Staszyk C, Bienert-Zeit A. Comparative studies on the histological characteristics of equine nasomaxillary aperture and paranasal sinus mucosa considering topographic and age-related differences. Acta Vet Scand 2020 Jun 23;62(1):34.
- Bach FS, Böhler A, Schieder K, Handschuh S, Simhofer H. Surgical enlargement of the nasomaxillary aperture and transnasal conchotomy of the ventral conchal sinus: Two surgical techniques to improve sinus drainage in horses. Vet Surg 2019 Aug;48(6):1019-1031.
- Brinkschulte M, Bienert-Zeit A, Lüpke M, Hellige M, Ohnesorge B, Staszyk C. The sinonasal communication in the horse: examinations using computerized three-dimensional reformatted renderings of computed-tomography datasets. BMC Vet Res 2014 Mar 19;10:72.
- Algudkar A, Persaud R, Chatzimichalis M, Parikh A. Unilateral sino-nasal haemorrhagic polyp masquerading as a malignancy in a boxer. JRSM Short Rep 2013 Apr;4(4):27.
- Fjordbakk CT, Kenney DG, Rodriguez-Palacios A, Keller S, Stalker M. Inflammatory aural polyp in a horse. Can Vet J 2006 Jan;47(1):65-6.
- Boutros CP, Koenig JB. A combined frontal and maxillary sinus approach for repulsion of the third maxillary molar in a horse. Can Vet J 2001 Apr;42(4):286-8.
- Sidwell A, Shanklin A, Miller H, Cahoon M, Hole SL, Bianco C, Pereira R. Full Clinical Pathological and Bacteriological Investigation of a Giant Nasal Polyp Associated With the Developing Apex of the Permanent Fourth Premolar (Triadan 108) in a 3-year-old Connemara Filly: A Case Report. Vet Med Sci 2026 Jan;12(1):e70756.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
