Imaging findings in a minipig with congenital portosystemic shunt

Abstract

A 15-month-old, male minipig was presented with a clinical history of seizure activity for one year. The minipig was the smallest among the littermates and was referred due to an elevated blood ammonia level with suspected portosystemic shunt (PSS). Ultrasound and CT angiography were consistent with a congenital extrahepatic PSS. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first description of a congenital extrahepatic PSS diagnosed by ultrasound and contrast-enhanced computed tomography in a minipig (pig). Partial shunt closure was performed by interventional stent application.

Zusammenfassung

Ein 15 Monate altes männliches Minipig wurde auf Grund von Krampfanfällen vorstellig. Vorberichtlich war es kleiner als die Wurfgeschwister und zeigte intermittierend Anfälle seit einem Jahr. In der Blutuntersuchung fiel ein erhöhter Ammoniakwert auf. Mittels Ultraschall und CT-Angiografie wurde die Diagnose eines kongenitalen extrahepatischen portosystemischen Shunts gestellt. Nach Wissen des Autors ist dies die erste Fallbeschreibung eines kongenitalen extrahepatischen Shunts beim Minipig (Schwein), der durch Ultraschall und Computertomografie nachgewiesen wurde. Interventionell wurde ein partieller Shuntverschluss mittels Stent-Applikation durchgeführt.

Key words

Extrahepatic - porto-caval shunt - seizures - computed tomography angiography

Schlüsselwörter

Extrahepatisch - porto-cavaler Shunt - Krampfanfälle - CT Angiografie

Publication History

Received: 08 July 2021

Accepted: 11 October 2021

Article published online:
02 November 2022

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