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Long‐Term Effect of Cervical Distraction and Stabilization on Neurological Status and Imaging Findings in Giant Breed Dogs With Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy
Author(s) -
Lewis Melissa,
Olby Natasha J,
Sharp Nick JH.,
Early Peter
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
veterinary surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1532-950X
pISSN - 0161-3499
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-950x.2013.12034.x
Subject(s) - medicine , myelopathy , surgery , spinal canal stenosis , spinal cord compression , retrospective cohort study , myelography , cervical vertebrae , cervical canal , spinal canal , lesion , spinal cord , cervix , psychiatry , cancer
Objectives To assess long‐term clinical and imaging outcomes in giant breed dogs with cervical stenotic myelopathy treated surgically. Study Design Retrospective case series. Animals Dogs (n = 7). Methods All dogs had lateral or dorsolateral cord compression at 1 or more sites and were treated with cervical distraction and stabilization using PMMA plugs. Four dogs had follow‐up CT or CT/myelography performed at least 6 months postoperatively. Spinal canal stenosis measurements were compared between pre‐ and postoperative CT images. Long‐term clinical neurologic re‐evaluation ranged from 4 to 7 years. Outcome was considered positive, satisfactory, or negative. Recurrence was defined as signs of a cervical myelopathy in dogs that initially improved or had stable disease postoperatively. Results All dogs had immediate postoperative improvement. Recurrence (4 months to 4 years postoperatively) occurred in 3 dogs that had multiple sites of compression. Long‐term outcome was positive in 4 of 7 dogs. Postoperative imaging revealed subjective regression of bony proliferation at surgical sites in 2 of 4 dogs that improved clinically but morphometric data showed no change in canal measurements. An adjacent site lesion was confirmed in 1 dog. Conclusions Distraction and stabilization with PMMA plugs and bone grafts is a safe surgical option for giant breed dogs with CSM with a single site of lateral or dorsolateral compression. Long‐term recurrence was common among dogs with multiple sites of compression. Follow‐up of 4 years or more among a larger population is indicated to fully assess implications of surgical intervention and determine recurrence rates.