Pneumocephalus due to temporohyoid osteoarthropathy in a 16-year-old Friesian mare.

A 16-year-old Friesian horse was studied due to the occurrence of rare symptoms such as anorexia, weight loss, fever, bilateral nasal discharge, facial paralysis, and an untreated eye injury. The rare condition of Pneumocephalus due to temporohyoid osteoarthropathy was identified in the horse who had to be put down due to poor reaction to medical treatment and the owner’s refusal for surgery.

Study Summary

• The study focused on a Friesian mare that was 16-years-old admitted to the university clinic. The horse was showing unusual signs of illness including: appetite loss, significant weight loss, high body temperature, nasal discharge from both nostrils, paralysis on one side of the face, and a corneal lesion that was not healing.
• The horse was subjected to an endoscopic examination of its upper airways which revealed a thickening of the part close off the right stylohyoid bone which is towards the rear part of its skull.
• Computed tomography imaging, also commonly known as a CT scan, was subsequently conducted. The result of this imaging test revealed pneumocephalus as a result of grade 3 unilateral temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO), with an additional finding of a fractured petrous temporal bone. Pneumocephalus is a medical condition where there is air or gas within the cranial cavity.
• In spite of administering appropriate medical interventions, the general health condition of the horse did not show improvements. The owner did not give consent for a surgical solution, which led to the decision of euthanizing the horse.
• A post-mortem examination confirmed the diagnosis that was previously made based on the observed clinical signs and the results of the imaging tests. It is important to note that while temporal bone fractures have a high prevalence in horses with severe THO, an extension of the fracture into the cranial vault and pneumocephalus has not been previously recorded.
• The research thus presents the first case of pneumocephalus in a horse as a result of a fracture of the petrous temporal bone in a context of THO.