Osteoma of paranasal sinuses of a horse.

The research article explores a case where a 2-year-old Quarter Horse was diagnosed with osteoma, a benign bone tumor, in the paranasal sinuses, which was effectively removed surgically. The post-surgery recovery was monitored through radiography for 23 months, revealing small bone opacities.

Background of the Case

• The study discusses a 2-year-old Quarter Horse gelding that was presented with various symptoms such as torticollis (a condition where the head is tilted to one side), facial protuberances over the frontal and maxillary sinuses, and prolonged nasal discharge that remained unresponsive to antibiotic treatments.

Diagnosis

• A Radiograph was done on the horse which revealed an osseous (bony) mass in the right paranasal sinuses. This was suspected to be a tumor.
• To confirm the suspicion, a histologic examination of the biopsied mass was done which led to the diagnosis of an osteoma. Osteoma is a slow-growing benign (non-cancerous) tumor that consists mainly of bone tissue.

Treatment

• The osseous mass was surgically removed in sections from the right frontal and maxillary sinuses through separate bone flaps. This is a detailed procedure that requires opening up the bone to access and extract the tumor from the sinuses.
• Post the surgical procedure, the sinuses were irrigated with saline solution for 8 days. This is a standard post-surgical procedure to prevent infections and complications.

Post Surgery Observations and Conclusion

• Two weeks after surgery, another Radiograph revealed small osseous opacities in the right paranasal sinuses. ‘Osseous opacities’ refers to certain areas that appear denser or whiter in a radiograph, often indicating some sort of bone growth or calcification. It is important to note that this might be an expected after-effect rather than a concerning symptom.
• These opacities remained the same in radiographs obtained up to 23 months after surgery, indicating that there was no growth or change that could suggest a recurrence of the benign tumor, osteoma.
• The case study illustrates a successful surgical procedure in managing osteoma in a horse’s paranasal sinuses, offering insights for veterinary surgical practices.