Lipid emboli in a Vietnamese potbellied pig (Sus scrofa)

Abstract

A 2-year-old, spayed female Vietnamese potbellied pig (Sus scrofa) with a body condition score of 6 out of 6 and a weight of approximately 113 kg presented for polyuria and polydipsia. There was mild abdominal distention, and the abdomen felt very firm on palpation. The owner also reported lethargy and hyporexia of several weeks' duration. On presentation, the pig could ambulate normally; body temperature, respiratory rate, and heart rate were within normal limits. The pig was sedated to facilitate thorough physical examination and blood collection for chemistry and cell counts. The most pronounced abnormalities were hypercalcemia (14 mg/dl; normal mean and standard deviation for large white pigs is 11.6 ± 0.8 mg/dl) and hyperglycemia (163 mg/dl; normal mean and standard deviation for large white pigs is 79.3 ± 18.0 mg/dl).18 There was also an inflammatory leukogram: total leukocytes 23.2 × 10 3 /µl (average 16.4 × 10 3 , minimum 11.6 × 10 3 , maximum 21.0 × 10 3 ); neutrophils 70% (average 36%, minimum 28%, maximum 42%); bands 19% (average 0.7%, minimum 0%, maximum 2.0%); lymphocytes 8% (average 54%, minimum 38%, maximum 61%); and monocytes 2% (average 5%, minimum 0%, maximum 9.0%). 17Upon physical exam, a single large, firm mass approximately 10 cm in diameter was palpated in the caudoventral abdomen. On ultrasound, the mass was well encapsulated and heterogeneous in consistency, with irregular areas of hyperechoic and hypoechoic texture and no obvious vascular component. It was unclear at the time whether the mass was intra-abdominal or extra-abdominal. Radiographs showed a large opacity in the caudal abdomen that displaced the urinary bladder caudoventrally. The opacity was consistent with normal fatty tissue or, less likely, an invasive lipoma or liposarcoma. An exploratory laparotomy revealed the presence of 2 bilateral symmetrical retroperitoneal masses instead of a single mass. Based on intraoperative palpation of these masses and their location, a presumptive diagnosis of mineralized fat deposits and granulomatous steatitis was made, which was confirmed histologically.Radiographs also revealed lucent areas associated with the cranial vertebral bodies of lumbar vertebrae L4 to L6 and possibly the cranial physis of L4 with mild sclerosis of these areas. The caudal margin of the L7 vertebral body was irregular and also contained focal areas of increased lucency. A preliminary diagnosis of osteomyelitis of the vertebrae was made and thought to be secondary to an infectious disease or, less likely, a metastatic process. Urine culture and brucellosis testing, as well as aspiration of the vertebral lesions under computed tomography guidance, were carried out, and all tests yielded negative results. Urine collected by cystocentesis during surgery had increased levels of glucose (250 mg/dl). A 2-year-old, spayed female Vietnamese potbellied pig (Sus scrofa) was evaluated due to polyuria, polydipsia, lethargy, and hyporexia. The pig was obese, and a large abdominal mass was palpated. Additional findings included ...

Lipid Embolism in Obese Göttingen Minipigs

“…In addition, similar macroscopic and histopathological findings have been observed in the pet Vietnamese potbellied pig. 15 These observations confirm the fact that the condition is not directly caused by the given treatments, although there was a predominance of unscheduled deaths in the treated groups. The condition, however, seems to be related to prolonged periods of reduced food intake together with the presence of lipogranulomatous inflammation in the retroperitoneal and/or visceral adipose tissue.…”

“…Very similar macroscopic and histopathological changes in form of lipid embolism in lung and kidney as well as lipogranulomatous inflammation in retroperitoneal/visceral adipose tissue have previously been observed in one pet Vietnamese potbellied pig. 15 Recently, Renner et al also described lipogranulomatous inflammation in retroperitoneal and/or visceral adipose tissue in several obese high-fat diet fed GM, 16 with no involvement of SC adipose tissue. These authors observed lipid in the lungs of the animals as well; however, in contrast to the present study, it was detected within the lymphatic vessels.…”

Pathology in Practice

“…However, 3 possible explanations were given for the release of adipose tissue into the blood vessels of that pig: the presence of abdominal fat necrosis, hepatic lipidosis, and the surgical procedures performed (exploratory celiotomy, CT-guided collection of a bone marrow aspirate sample, and percutaneous hepatic biopsy). 16 In the potbellied pig of the present report, signs of trauma were not identified during necropsy; it had not undergone any surgical procedures during the preceding months. Hepatic lipidosis and pancreatic necrosis were ruled out on the basis of the absence of pathological lesions in the liver and pancreas and the adipose tissue surrounding both of them.…”

“…To our knowledge, there is just 1 other report 16 of lipid emboli in a Vietnamese potbellied pig. In that pig, intravascular fat droplets were detected by means of an indirect method based on anti-fibrinogen immunohistochemical analysis, but the cause of the fat emboli remained unclear.…”

Morphological diagnostics of fat embolism

“…Применяют методы выявления ЖЭ путем посмерт-ной компьютерной томографии с ангиографией (или без нее) и биопсии длинной иглой [41] с последующим под-тверждением их результатов при вскрытии. Считается, что при формировании жирового эмбола его поверхность покрывается тромбоцитами, элементами клеток крови, фибрином; липиды при парафиновой проводке исчезают, но адсорбированный фибриноген вокруг липидных ка-пель остается в целости [42]. Исходя из этого, ЖЭ в пара-финовых срезах косвенно можно подтвердить иммуноги-стохимически (антитела к фибриногену и CD61) обнару-жением фибриногена и тромбоцитов в области оптически пустых пространств в кровеносных сосудах.…”