Emanuele Paggi

Adenocarcinoma Involving the Tongue and the Epiglottis in a Horse

ABSTRACT Tumors involving the oral cavity of the horse are uncommon. No cases of equine adenocarcinoma on the dorsum of the tongue have been reported in the literature. We report a case of adenocarcinoma located on the dorsum of the posterior one-third of the tongue in a 29-year-old gelding with severe dysphagia. Endoscopy revealed an epiglottis involvement, and histology was consistent with adenocarcinoma arising from minor salivary glands, which was associated with a severe fungal colonization of affected tissues. The goals of this report are to present an uncommon case of dorsum of the tongue-associated neoplasia and to highlight the association with atypical fungal colonization, to review the literature and to discuss possible clinical approach and prognosis.

In vivo Biocompatibility of p(HPMAm-lac)-PEG Hydrogels Hybridized with Hyaluronan

The present study reports on the biocompatibility in vivo after intramuscular and subcutaneous administration in Balb/c mice of vinyl sulphone bearing p(HPMAm‐lac1–2)‐PEG‐p(HPMAm‐lac1–2)/thiolated hyaluronic acid hydrogels, designed as novel injectable biomaterials for potential application in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Ultrasonography, used as a method to study hydrogel gelation and residence time in vivo, showed that, upon injection, the biomaterial efficiently formed a hydrogel by simultaneous thermal gelation and Michael Addition cross‐linking forming a viscoelastic spherical depot at the injection site. The residence time in vivo (20 days) was found to be shorter than that observed in vitro (32 days), indicating that the injected hydrogel was resorbed not only by chemical hydrolysis but also by cellular metabolism and/or enzymatic activity. Systemic biocompatibility was tested by analysing routine haematological parameters at different time‐points (7, 14 and 21 days after administration) and histology of the main organs, including the haematopoietic system. No statistically significant difference between parameters of the saline‐treated group and those of the hydrogel‐treated group was found. Importantly, a time‐dependent decrease of important pro‐inflammatory cytokines (TREM1 (Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid cells‐1), tumour necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐1β) in cultured bone marrow cells extracted from hydrogel treated mice was observed, possibly correlated to the anti‐inflammatory effect of hyaluronic acid released in time as hydrogel degraded. Copyright

Ultrasonographic biometry of the eyes of healthy adult donkeys

Sixty-two healthy adult donkeys were included in this study, giving a total of 124 eyes for examination. The weight of the donkeys was estimated and an ultrasonography of the eyes was performed using a curvilinear transducer. Ocular measurements were taken in a horizontal plane and included the following values: globe axial length (GAL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), vitreous body depth (VD), lens diameter (LDi) and lens depth (LDe). The mean and sds for each measurement are reported in mm: GAL 34.22±2.05; ACD 3.01±0.58; VD 20.20±1.63; LDi 17.96±1.66 LDe 11.06±0.71. Gender was not a variability factor for ocular biometry in donkeys, while the weight was directly related to the ultrasonographic ocular values. Lens dimensions represented an exception and further investigation should be carried out to verify a possible correlation with age rather than weight. This is the first paper reporting reference data for ocular biometry in donkeys. The ultrasonographic evaluation of the equine eye is a manageable procedure that is easy to perform and can provide information not always obtainable with direct ocular examination. It allows the imaging of intraocular and retrobulbar structures and the diagnosis of some important disorders involving these areas (Scotty and others 2004, Michau 2005, Dietrich 2007). Ocular ultrasound is also indicated where it is impossible to directly visualise (eg, with an ophthalmoscope) posterior structures of the globe in cases of corneal oedema or ulceration, cataract or ocular masses (Withcomb 2002). Ultrasound can be used to investigate enophthalmos, buphthalmos or exophthalmos in cases of ocular protrusion and suspicion of disparity in globe size (Withcomb 2002). The most common diseases that can be detected or confirmed with ultrasound are corneal diseases, cataract, lens luxation, intraocular cysts or masses, glaucoma and retinal detachment (Reef 1998, Withcomb 2002). Although horses and donkeys can be affected by …

Use of autologous platelet-rich plasma for a delayed consolidation of a tibial fracture in a young donkey

A 9-month-old filly donkey was referred for a comminuted diaphyseal fracture of the right tibia. Surgical osteosynthesis, with multiple lag screws and a neutralization plate, was performed for anatomical reconstruction. Despite a good gait condition, delayed bone consolidation and a bone gap were evident on follow up radiographic evaluations. Due to delayed healing, autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was injected on the surface of the tibia. Increased bone consolidation was evident on radiographs one month after the PRP injection. Progressive filling of both the fracture lines and bone gap continued during the six-month follow up. Clinical outcome was excellent. Autologous PRP should be considered as a practical adjuvant therapy in bone healing process in donkeys.