Proceedings 31st Symposium ESVN-ECVN

A 6‐week‐old entire female domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of a soft bulge and a palpable skull defect on the frontal area of the head since adoption. The neurological examination revealed absent menace response bilaterally and apparent blindness localizing the lesion to the occipital cortex. Main differential diagnoses were meningocele/meningoencephalocele (MC/MEC). Surgical repair was proposed once the cat reached the adult size. Meanwhile, the patient developed seizures and treated with anticonvulsant therapy. When 8‐month‐old a CT confirmed a frontoparietal MEC with associated porencephaly. Based on a 3D printed skull mold, a polysulphone implant was created. The meninges were dissected from the skin, a durectomy was performed and samples of the protruding brain tissue were obtained. Part of the cerebrospinal fluid was drained until the size of the protruding brain decreased enough to be included below the implant that was anchored with cerclages within predrilled holes. The histopathology confirmed the presence of aberrant meningeal and neural tissue. Three months later, the cat is partially blind, but otherwise neurologically normal and seizure free since the surgery.