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Acute and Chronic Gas Bubble Lesions in Cetaceans Stranded in the United Kingdom

Institute of Zoology (PDJ, RD, AAC) and Veterinary Services (AMP), Zoological Society of London, London, UK; Wildlife Unit, SAC Veterinary Services Division (Inverness), Inverness, UK (IAPP, HMR, RJR); Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Liverpool, Neston, Wirral, UK (JRB); SAC Veterinary Services Division (Edinburgh), Penicuik, Edinburgh, UK (FEH); and Veterinary Laboratories Agency Truro, Truro, Cornwall, UK (AC)

The first evidence suggestive of in vivo gas bubble formation in cetacea, including eight animals stranded in the UK, has recently been reported. This article presents the pathologic findings from these eight UK-stranded cetaceans and two additional UK-stranded cetacean cases in detail. Hepatic gas-filled cavitary lesions (0.2–6.0 cm diameter) involving approximately 5–90% of the liver volume were found in four (two juvenile, two adult) Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), three (two adult, one juvenile) common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), an adult Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris), and an adult harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Histopathologic examination of the seven dolphin cases with gross liver cavities revealed variable degrees of pericavitary fibrosis, microscopic, intrahepatic, spherical, nonstaining cavities (typically 50–750 µm in diameter) consistent with gas emboli within distended portal vessels and sinusoids and associated with hepatic tissue compression, hemorrhages, fibrin/organizing thrombi, and foci of acute hepato-cellular necrosis. Two common dolphins also had multiple and bilateral gross renal cavities (2.0–9.0 mm diameter) that, microscopically, were consistent with acute (n = 2) and chronic (n = 1) arterial gas emboli–induced renal infarcts. Microscopic, bubblelike cavities were also found in mesenteric lymph node (n = 4), adrenal (n = 2), spleen (n = 2), pulmonary associated lymph node (n = 1), posterior cervical lymph node (n = 1), and thyroid (n = 1). No bacterial organisms were isolated from five of six cavitated livers and one of one cavitated kidneys. The etiology and pathogenesis of these lesions are not known, although a decompression-related mechanism involving embolism of intestinal gas or de novo gas bubble (emboli) development derived from tissues supersaturated with nitrogen is suspected.

Key words: Cetacea; decompression; gas bubble; gas emboli; hepatopathy; marine mammals; nephropathy.

Request reprints from Dr. P. D. Jepson, Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY (UK). E-mail: paul.jepson{at}ioz.ac.uk

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