Open AccessComparison of surgical and conservative treatment of hydrated nucleus pulposus extrusion in dogs
Author(s) -
Nessler Jasmin,
Flieshardt Cornelia,
Tünsmeyer Julia,
Dening Ricarda,
Tipold Andrea
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of veterinary internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.356
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1939-1676
pISSN - 0891-6640
DOI - 10.1111/jvim.15304
Subject(s) - medicine , conservative management , surgery , myelopathy , conservative treatment , intramedullary rod , ambulatory , magnetic resonance imaging , retrospective cohort study , lesion , spinal cord , radiology , psychiatry
Background Whether compressive cervical myelopathy caused by hydrated nucleus pulposus extrusion (HNPE) in dogs should be treated surgically or conservatively has been debated. Only 1 recent study has contradicted the former predominant reports of surgical treatment for HNPE. Hypothesis and method Single center retrospective study to compare the outcome of client‐owned dogs with HNPE after decompressive surgery or conservative treatment. Animals Thirty‐six dogs diagnosed with HNPE confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results Eighteen of 36 dogs underwent surgery whereas 18 dogs were managed conservatively including cage rest and physiotherapy. The most common affected intervertebral disc space was C4‐5. In 3 dogs, HNPE was diagnosed at the level of T13‐L1. Median time to regain ambulation was 6.6 days (range, 0‐28 days) after surgery and 5.9 days (range, 0‐15 days) with conservative management ( P = .37). Only the length of a potential intramedullary lesion in cervical HNPE detected by MRI had an influence on the prognosis to gain ambulatory status in a time period of ≤9 days ( P = .0035) and on short‐term survival ( P = .0011). Conclusions and clinical importance Conservative management of HNPE in the cervical as well as in the thoracolumbar region represents a reasonable alternative to surgery, showing similar favorable outcome.