Osteoma of paranasal sinuses in a horse with inspiratory dyspnoea.

The study presents a case of a 3-year-old Arabian mare who had osteoma in her frontal and maxillary sinuses and was experiencing difficulty in breathing. After two surgeries, the mare showed no signs of the respiratory condition twelve months after admission despite some tumor regrowth.

Case Description and Initial Presentation

• The paper presents a case of a 3-year-old Arabian horse presenting with inspiratory dyspnoea, an abnormal breathing condition characterized by difficulty or discomfort in breathing.
• The horse in question was found to have osteoma, a benign, bone-forming tumor, in its paranasal (frontal and maxillary) sinuses. The paranasal sinuses are air-filled spaces in the facial bones, surrounding the nasal cavities.

Diagnosis and Treatment

• The symptoms exhibited by the horse led to the diagnosis of the osteoma. The mare underwent two different surgical procedures in an attempt to remove the tumor.
• After the surgeries, observations were made pertaining to the health and behaviour of the horse, particularly any signs of returning respiratory issues.

Post-Treatment Follow-Up

• Twelve months following initial admission, no signs of respiratory abnormalities were observed in the horse. This indicated a successful outcome of the surgical procedures to remove the osteoma.
• Despite this success, some degree of tumor regrowth was noted in the maxillary sinus of the horse when sinus radiographs and endoscopy were repeated.

Long-term Outcome

• However, twenty-two months after the surgical procedures, the horse showed no clinical signs of upper airway disease. This suggests that the regrowth of the tumor did not impact the horse’s respiratory health in a significant way, at least in the short-to-medium term following surgery.