Infiltrative lipoma causing lumbar nerve root compression in a dog

Background: Lipomas are benign soft tissue mesenchymal neoplasms composed of adipose cells and are usually foundin the subcutaneous tissue. Occasionally, lipomas may invade muscles or grow between them, in which case they arecharacterized as infiltrative lipomas. Clinical signs resulting from an intermuscular lipoma compressing peripheral nervesare rarely encountered in dogs. This case report aims to describe the neurological signs, diagnosis, and clinical evaluationof a dog diagnosed with infiltrative lipoma compressing a lumbar spinal nerve root.Case: A 12-year-old neutered male Fox Paulistinha, weighing 10.5 kg, was presented with difficulties in walking for thepast 15 days with no previous history of trauma. On physical examination, the presence of three cutaneous nodules wasnoted in the ventral thoracic region, with onset of one year and slow and progressive growth. A cytological evaluation ofthe nodules was performed, and lipoma was diagnosed. At the neurological examination, the patient presented ambulatoryparaparesis with marked motor deficit and atrophy of the quadriceps muscles of the left pelvic limb. Conscious proprioceptive deficit, the absence of patellar reflex, and diminished withdrawal reflex were observed in the left hind limb, in additionto diffuse pain on epaxial palpation of the lumbar region. Electroneuromyography showed increased insertion activity inthe left gastrocnemius muscle and moderate spontaneous activity (fibrillation). Persistence of 10% was observed in theF-wave study of the left tibial nerve. These findings indicate partial involvement of the roots of the left sciatic-tibial nerve.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the presence of a mass measuring 3.18 × 1.04 × 1.4 cm, interspersed withthe paravertebral muscles, and located adjacent to the L2 and L3 spinous processes...

Infiltrative lipoma causing lumbar nerve root compression in a dog

Background: Lipomas are benign soft tissue mesenchymal neoplasms composed of adipose cells and are usually foundin the subcutaneous tissue. Occasionally, lipomas may invade muscles or grow between them, in which case they arecharacterized as infiltrative lipomas. Clinical signs resulting from an intermuscular lipoma compressing peripheral nervesare rarely encountered in dogs. This case report aims to describe the neurological signs, diagnosis, and clinical evaluationof a dog diagnosed with infiltrative lipoma compressing a lumbar spinal nerve root.Case: A 12-year-old neutered male Fox Paulistinha, weighing 10.5 kg, was presented with difficulties in walking for thepast 15 days with no previous history of trauma. On physical examination, the presence of three cutaneous nodules wasnoted in the ventral thoracic region, with onset of one year and slow and progressive growth. A cytological evaluation ofthe nodules was performed, and lipoma was diagnosed. At the neurological examination, the patient presented ambulatoryparaparesis with marked motor deficit and atrophy of the quadriceps muscles of the left pelvic limb. Conscious proprioceptive deficit, the absence of patellar reflex, and diminished withdrawal reflex were observed in the left hind limb, in additionto diffuse pain on epaxial palpation of the lumbar region. Electroneuromyography showed increased insertion activity inthe left gastrocnemius muscle and moderate spontaneous activity (fibrillation). Persistence of 10% was observed in theF-wave study of the left tibial nerve. These findings indicate partial involvement of the roots of the left sciatic-tibial nerve.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the presence of a mass measuring 3.18 × 1.04 × 1.4 cm, interspersed withthe paravertebral muscles, and located adjacent to the L2 and L3 spinous processes...(AU)