13. Hardware disease (traumatic reticuloperitonitis): incidence, etiology/cause, predisposing factors and pathogenesis

Question 1

ethiology of hardware disease?

Answer 1

Etiology

• Sharp foreign metallic objects(magnetic!!!): screw, nails, pieces of wire, components of mixer wagons, arms from eyeglasses, wire bristles from brushes etc.
• Rare o Aluminium foreign bodies are rare! o Abomasum, duodenum, jejunum
• Common o 99% of foreign bodies injure reticulum

Question 2

Predisposing factors of hardware disease?

Answer 2

Predisposing factors

• Eating without selection

o Do not discriminate against metal materials in feed

o Do not completely masticate feed before swallowing

• Papillae on the tongue and buccal cavity

o Function to guide feed in buccal cavity and force the feed towards the pharyngeal cavity and metal

can’t be separated!

Question 3

Pathogenesis of hardware disease?

Answer 3

Pathogenesis

• Falls directly into reticulum
• Rumen→ ruminoreticular fold→ cranioventral part of reticulum
• Negative effect dependent on weight, sharpness, length of the object
• The longer, heavier, and pointier the object, the more likely to perforate!
• 0,5-1,0= Reticulitis (superficial problem)
• >2 cm/ 8-10 cm= Perforation happens
• Result: reticuloperitonitis/pericarditis (worst case scenario if big object

• Upon penetration pain is perceived as an initial acute sign on the cow’s face→ Reticuloperitonitis develops
inside
• Dependent on the size of the wound channel the course of the disease varies
• Narrow wound channel= Localized RPT
• Could take an acute/chronic/recurrent coarse
• Chronic may lead to adhesions btw abdominal organs which stops stomach movements
• Wide wound channel= Diffuse peritonitis
• ACUTE with local and systemic consequences

Question 4

Local and systemic consequences?

Answer 4

Local and systemic consequences

• Toxins/ Bacteria: absorbed through mucous membranes

o Secondary disorders

§ nephrosis, myocardosis, myocarditis

• Further penetration:
• Complications:

o traumatic pericarditis, +/- pleuritis, pneumonia

o traumatic splenitis, hepatitis, Abomasitis, even skin perforation

o Hoflund syndrome

o seldom, coronary bleeding, SC abscess.

Question 5

Traumatic Pericarditis?

Answer 5

Diaphragm is marked as the oblique line and the bow at the bottom indicates the position of the heart.

• Pericardial puncture for drainage/lab analysis: exudate with fibrin, plasma, bacteria, blood, pus (WBC’s)
• Position of the needle; min 10 cm inside. We use US to direct the needle
• Draining any kind of fluid is hard, especially in ruminants since the fibrin content is so high

Question 6

Traumatic lienitis?

Answer 6

Spleen is in the upper corner btw rumen, thoracic wall and diaphragm, reticulum lies directly underneath it.

If the objects go vertically from the reticulum, it could puncture the spleen as well!