Objective
To describe the surgical correction of a closed meningoencephalocele in a thoroughbred filly.
Study design
Case report.
Animal
One thoroughbred filly, 1.5 months old at the time of surgery.
Methods
A meningoencephalocele was identified at birth and diagnosed with radiography and MRI. The abnormal tissue was excised and submitted for histopathology, the dura was closed, and the defect in the skull was corrected with a titanium mesh.
Results
Histopathology confirmed the presence of neural parenchyma consisting of neurons and glial cells. The filly remained without neurologic deficits 7 months after surgery.
Conclusion
Surgical correction of a meningoencephalocele was performed and considered successful, with no long‐term neurologic deficits postoperatively.
Clinical significance
Given the paucity of neural tube defect cases in the equine population, no surgical corrective techniques have been reported in the literature. This Case Report describes the first successful surgical treatment of a meningoencephalocele in a horse.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.