This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 135/4/541    most recent REP-07-0447v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ferreira, J C Articles by Ginther, O J Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ferreira, J C Articles by Ginther, O J

Uterine blood flow and perfusion in mares with uterine cysts: effect of the size of the cystic area and age

¹ Eutheria Foundation, Cross Plains, Wisconsin 53528, USA² Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 1656 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA

Correspondence should be addressed to E L Gastal; Email: egastal{at}svm.vetmed.wisc.edu

Transrectal color and power Doppler ultrasonography was used to study uterine blood flow and perfusion in mares with and without uterine cysts. Vascular perfusion of the uterus and blood flow velocities, vascular perfusion, diameter, circumference, and area of a cross section of the mesometrial attachment were evaluated. To study the effect of internal cysts, two matched groups (cystic and control, n=21 mares/group) were used. Uterine vascular perfusion in mares with cysts was less (P<0.0001) in the cystic than the noncystic region and less (P<0.0009) than that for controls. Mares with cysts had lower (P<0.04) pulsatility index (PI) and greater end diastolic velocity (EDV; P<0.03) and time-averaged maximum velocity (TAMV; P<0.05) of the mesometrial vessels than the controls. To study the effect of the size of internal uterine cystic area, paired mares were arranged in four groups (n=8–11/group): small uterine cystic area (275 mm²) versus controls and large uterine cystic area (>410 mm²) versus controls. A small uterine cystic area did not affect uterine hemodynamics. Mares with large uterine cystic area had lower PI (P<0.05) and greater peak systolic velocity (P0.05), EDV (P<0.009), and TAMV (P<0.005). To study the effect of age, old versus young mares without cysts were compared (n=11/group). Old mares had greater EDV (P<0.02) and TAMV (P<0.01) than young mares. Results demonstrated, for the first time in any species, reduced uterine vascular perfusion in mares with uterine cysts and a positive association between size of the cystic area and disturbed uterine hemodynamics.