Abdominal wall mass and hemoabdomen in a Haflinger mare.

Summary

# Editorial Summary: Abdominal Wall Mass and Hemoabdomen in a Haflinger Mare A 6-year-old Haflinger mare presented with recurrent haemoabdomen, a clinical scenario that typically prompts investigation into coagulopathies, trauma, or vascular compromise—yet this case revealed an unusual primary pathology. Necropsy identified a firm, infiltrative multinodular yellow mass within the posterior abdominal wall, with histopathological analysis demonstrating proliferation of fibroblastic cells expressing α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin, consistent with a myofibroblastic or fibroblastic neoplastic process. Whilst such lesions remain rare in equine practice, their capacity to erode adjacent vasculature and generate chronic haemorrhage into the peritoneal cavity warrants consideration in cases of unexplained or recurrent abdominal bleeding unresponsive to conventional diagnostics. The immunohistochemical profile suggests a mesenchymal origin, potentially representing a fibroblastoma or related spindle-cell neoplasm, which may have implications for ultrasonographic detection and differential diagnosis when evaluating abdominal masses. Clinicians managing chronic haemoabdomen should maintain awareness that primary abdominal wall lesions can masquerade as primary coagulation disorders, and advanced imaging or exploratory laparotomy may be justified when initial investigations prove inconclusive.

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Key Findings

• •A 6-year-old Haflinger mare presented with recurrent hemoabdomen associated with an infiltrative abdominal wall mass
• •Histopathologic examination revealed fibroblastic cell proliferation positive for α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin, consistent with a smooth muscle-derived tumor

Conditions Studied

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