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Hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome in a foal.
Abstract: A necropsy diagnosis of hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome was made in a day-old foal. The cardiac abnormalities included mitral and aortic valve atresia, patent ductus arteriosus, and a secundum atrial septal defect. The left ventricle was hypoplastic and nonfunctional. The brief survival of the foal was a consequence of left-to-right shunting through the atrial septal defect and right-to-left shunting through the patent ductus. The information is presented to demonstrate the existence of the syndrome as a congenital defect in the horse and to clarify the necropsy findings for the practitioner to diagnose if seen.
Publication Date: 1984-09-01 PubMed ID: 6480472 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.
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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.
The research paper discusses a case of hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome, a rare congenital heart defect, observed in a one-day-old foal. It examines the results of a post-mortem examination and highlights the importance of recognizing the syndrome in horses.
Hypoplastic Left Ventricular Syndrome
- The study centers around a case of hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome found in a day-old foal. This is a rare, congenital cardiac condition where the left ventricle of the heart is underdeveloped, resulting in a poor blood supply.
Observed Cardiac Abnormalities
- The necropsy diagnosis revealed several cardiac abnormalities. These included aortic and mitral valve atresia, wherein the valves fail to develop fully, impeding the flow of blood from the heart.
- Additionally, the foal had a patent ductus arteriosus, a condition where the ductus arteriosus, a blood vessel connecting the main pulmonary artery to the proximal descending aorta in a fetus, remains open after birth. Normally, this vessel closes within a few days of birth.
- The foal also had a secundum atrial septal defect, or a hole in the wall between the two upper chambers of the heart (atria). This defect results in blood flow between the chambers.
Pathophysiology
- In this case, the left ventricle of the foal’s heart was hypoplastic or underdeveloped and was non-functional, severely impeding the supply of oxygenated blood to the body.
- The foal’s short-lived survival was due to the blood shunting, or diversion, through the defects in the atrial septum and patent ductus. One was a left-to-right shunt through the atrial septal defect, and the other was a right-to-left shunt through the patent ductus arteriosus.
Implications of the study
- This study documents the existence of hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome as a congenital defect in horses. Awareness and understanding of this syndrome increase the capability to make an accurate diagnosis and, if potentially treatable, construct a suitable course of action in managing this condition in future cases.
- The study also provides a detailed view of the necropsy findings to help practitioners recognize and diagnose this condition, if encountered.
Cite This Article
APA
Musselman EE, LoGuidice RJ.
(1984).
Hypoplastic left ventricular syndrome in a foal.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 185(5), 542-543.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Heart Defects, Congenital / pathology
- Heart Defects, Congenital / veterinary
- Heart Ventricles / abnormalities
- Horse Diseases / congenital
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
Citations
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