LORI.bovine

Severe adhesions

Keywords: adhesions, inflammation, uterus, infertility, bovine

This bovine reproductive tract was from a slaughter plant specimen.

Image size: 3307 x 4218px

Severe adhesions arising from an inflammatory process were present around the ovaries and adnexa, obscuring the anatomy of those structures. Adhesions were also present over the entire surface of the ovary. Readers are encouraged to see the extent of these adhesions by clicking on this large image. However, to fully appreciate the adhesions, it should be downloaded by right-clicking on the image, saving it, then viewing it in an appropriate program.

The cow from whence this uterus came was either infertile or sterile as a result of these lesions; probably the reason for which she was culled.

Adhesions such as these can arise from endometritis due to a multitude of bacteria including Mycobacterium bovis (less so M. bovigenitalum), Fusobacterium necrophorum, Bacteroides spp.
Escherichia coli  and commonly, Trueperella pyogenes (previously known as Corynebacterium pyogenes and after that, Arcanobacterium pyogenes but recently renamed to  Trueperella pyogenes ).

The cow has a utero-tubal junction that does nor perform adequately as a one-way valve between the uterus and uterine tubes (fallopian tubes). Therefore ascending infections of the ovaries and adnexa are common in cases of metritis. Comparatively speaking, mares are far less inclined to this pathology because of a well developed utero-tubal junction that appears to function as a one-way valve. In humans, the utero-tubal junction is far larger than in any domestic animal and is a virtual highway to the ovaries. Therefore peri-ovarian adhesions are a major cause of infertility in humans. So called "pelvic inflammatory disease" is well known in women.

It is also possible for adhesions such as these to form as a result of peritonitis following a laparotomy; commonly a cesarian section. In this case it was impossible to detect a uterine incision scar because of the adhesions. The etiology of adhesions in this case is unknown.