Ultrasonographic, Surgical, and Histopathological Findings of a Uterine Leiomyoma in a Cow

The objective of this case report was to describe the ultrasonographic, surgical, and histopathological findings of a rare clinical case of uterine leiomyoma in a 5-year-old Holstein crossbred cow presented for diagnosis and treatment of infertility. Transrectal palpation revealed a large nonpainful mass suspected to be an abscess or a tumor in the caudal abdomen on the right side. Transabdominal ultrasonography revealed a round mass with irregular hypoechogenic/echogenic foci and a thin echogenic capsule around it. Ultrasonographic-guided centesis of the lesion under local analgesia did not yield any foul smelling aspirate leading to a tentative diagnosis of an intra-abdominal tumor. The lesion was later confirmed by exploratory laparotomy and histopathology as a case of uterine leiomyoma. The cow gave birth to a live normal calf 12 months following the surgery. Rectal examination after parturition revealed no evidence of the tumor at the surgical site. Ultrasonography enabled prompt, noninvasive diagnosis of uterine leiomyoma and proved to be a useful decision-making tool in the abdominal surgery of the cow. This is an interesting case which broadens the spectrum of the causes of infertility in cattle. 1. Introduction A leiomyoma, histopathologically classified as mesenchymal tumor, is a benign neoplasia of smooth muscle. Leiomyomas of the genitalia occur far more frequently in females than males, and they are among the most commonly encountered tumors of the female reproductive system in almost all domestic species. In an abattoir study, leiomyomas were found to have a low frequency of occurrence as they represented only 1% to 2% of all neoplasia in sheep, cattle, and pigs [1]. Few case reports of vaginal and cervical leiomyomas in cows have been previously reported [2, 3]; however, reports on ultrasonographic and surgical findings of uterine leiomyomas in cows have not been published in peer-reviewed journals until now. The purpose of this paper was to document a rare case of leiomyoma of the uterus in an infertile cow and her return to production following excision of the neoplasm. 2. Case Presentation A 5-year-old Holstein crossbred cow was admitted to the Teaching Veterinary Clinic Complex, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences in October 2009 with a history of repeat breeding for last 5 months. The cow had been vaccinated regularly and dewormed appropriately and had no other relevant medical history. The physical examination was normal, and results from a complete blood count (CBC) and biochemical profile were within normal limits. On