Iatrogenic deadly pulmonary trauma and pneumomediastinum in a young sea lion

Abstract

A young malc South American sea lion (Otaria byroniu) of three years old died eight days after starting of molting hair. AJong those days the animal did not eat showing wcakness and dehydratation. Treatment consisted on glucose semm orally and snbcunate,:msly. antibiotics and cortisone. The previous day to irn death, subcutancous cmphysenm was clearly noticed in the head and the thorax. A complete necropsy was carrie<l out only 4 hours poslmo11em. Tissue samplcs were fixcd in JO% buffercd formalin and embedded in paraffin, sectioncd and stained with Haematoxy!in and Eosin for a routine light microscopical study. Dming m:cropsy. distension of thc puhnonary visccm\ pleura associated with o severo puenmomedia.􀞬inum whieh extended cmneaUy. as wcl! as !illbcutancm.1s emphy􀟌ema, was observed. No inflamatory. degenerative or neopJastic Jesions were detected. Virological and bacteriological aualysis were negative. Gas samp!es from thorax. dislension of thc pulmm1aiy visceral l_}lem:a and subcutaneous cmphyscma werc taken with a five rníli!itre.􀡉 vacutainer wlthout additives and amllyzed with a gas eromatographer using two columns foc permancnt gases and hydrocarbons as wcll as two detcctors (CTD and FID) disposed in serie for the srune purposc. Microseopieal studies revealed severe iuterntitial and alveolar emphyserna in both !ung lohu!Cll invo!ving sorne subplcural ureas. Results from g:IS analyse.􀣩 showed. :IS we!I the presence of a pncumothorax. Morphologka! diagnosis was defined as a scvere diffuse pneumomediastinmn cauSl.ld hy the disteusiou oí the pulmonary visceral pleura during forccd imraesophagk intubalion when trylng to feed !he sea lion. P11cumomcdiasti□um a□d subcutaneous cmphyscma due to intubation have been previously deseribed in humans, dogs and cats. We report a case of diffüse severe dcadly intcrntitial emphysma and pneumomediastinum iatrogenically caused in n young sea !ion. In ordcr lo demonsl.mtc the afr naturc of thc gas trapped in tlmse mentioned analomical areas, gas ana!ysis was 11ddition11Uy done.