Artigo
Sonographic aspects of splenic torsion due to abdominal eventration in a dog
Registro en:
SALGUEIRO, N. B. M. et al. Sonographic aspects of splenic torsion due to abdominal eventration in a dog. Acta Scientiae Veterinariae, Porto Alegre, v. 45, 2017. (Case Report 197).
Autor
Salgueiro, Nathalia Brant Malta
Lacreta Junior, Antonio Carlos Cunha
Tavares, Ana Carolina Giudice
Santos, Mariana Avelino de Souza
Institución
Resumen
Background: The splenic torsion is a rare condition in dogs, especially when it is not associated with gastric dilatation
and volvulus. Abdominal ultrasonography has been reported as an accurate diagnostic method in cases of splenic torsion
suspicions. Splenomegaly, decreased echogenicity of the parenchyma of the spleen and hypoechoic appearance or “lace”
are suggestive sonographic findings, although the definitive diagnosis is given through exploratory laparotomy. This study
reports a case of splenic torsion followed by abdominal trauma and eventration in a dog, highlighting the importance of
the ultrasound examination.
Case: An adult dog without a defined breed pattern that weighed 8.6 kg was referred to the Veterinary Hospital of the
Federal University of Lavras (Universidade Federal de Lavras - UFLA) with a history of trauma caused by having been run
over by a car 24 h earlier. The animal exhibited right inguinal region swelling with hematoma and a loss of local muscular
tension. An abdominal ultrasound indicated that the spleen was displaced to the right inguinal region and that a portion of
the spleen was included in the animal’s abdominal eventration. The spleen possessed an irregular surface with increased
dimensions and diffusely decreased echogenicity and multiple parallel echogenic lines (in the reticular aspect). Abrupt
differences in the echogenic textures of the spleen were identified in certain images. Color Doppler assessments revealed
no blood flow. Based on the aforementioned ultrasound findings, an exploratory laparotomy was indicated. The laparotomy
confirmed the presence of right inguinal abdominal muscle rupture with dislocation, eventration, and splenic torsion.
Discussion: Splenic torsion may be most frequently reported in cases involving large and giant male dogs because this
condition is typically related to dilatation syndrome and gastric volvulus, which are more prevalent among large and giant
male dogs than among other dogs. Although these etiological factors should be considered, in the case examined in this
study, the patient most likely suffered from splenic torsion caused by abdominal trauma, which resulted in the rupture of
the gastrosplenic and splenocolic ligaments and the splenic vessels and thereby created circumstances conducive to splenic
eventration and torsion. The sonographic features of splenic torsion in dogs include marked splenomegaly, a hypoechoic
or diffuse anechogenic pattern that indicates the presence of vascular congestion, and sinusoidal dilatation separated by
small linear echoes that represent dilated vessels. In cases of splenic torsion, two-dimensional ultrasonographic images
may reveal an enlarged spleen with a hypoechoic echotexture and a hyperechoic triangle between the veins and the splenic
parenchyma continuous to the hyperechoic mesentery. The sonographic findings observed in the patient examined in this
study were similar to the findings described in the published literature and consistent with the results reported by the other
authors. Although extensive literature reports have described the sonographic aspects of splenic torsion in dogs, this disease
remains uncommon. Moreover, no prior reports have described splenic torsion secondary to concurrent abdominal trauma,
displacement, and eventration; thus, the case examined in this study is unprecedented, and the ultrasonographic aspects
observed in this case should be considered.