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Thoracolumbar lateral corpectomy for treatment of chronic disk herniation: technique description and use in 15 dogs
Pierre Moissonnier1, Pierre Meheust, Claude Carozzo
1Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Gle. De Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. pmoissonnier@vet-alfort.fr
Objective:
To describe a technique for thoracolumbar lateral corpectomy and to evaluate its use for treatment of chronic thoracolumbar disk disease in dogs.
Study Design:
Retrospective study.
Animals:
Fifteen dogs with signs of chronic thoracolumbar disk herniation.
Methods:
After a dorsal or lateral approach to the spine, a lateral slot was created in 2 adjacent vertebral bodies on either side of the herniated disk and extruded/protruded material was removed. Data collected included history, duration of clinical signs, presurgical assessment of neurologic status, postsurgical neurologic status, complications, and outcome.
Results:
Ambulatory capacity was maintained or regained, and neurologic status improved by 1 grade (3 dogs), 2 grades (8), 3 grades (2), or 4 grades (2). Eleven dogs were considered free of disease. A seroma in 1 dog was the sole complication observed.
Conclusions:
Lateral corpectomy permits relatively easy removal of protruded-extruded disk material from within the vertebral canal in chronic disk disease without further iatrogenic injury to the spinal cord.
Clinical Relevance:
Lateral corpectomy is an alternative to dorsal decompression for treatment of ventral and lateroventral thoracolumbar chronic disk disease in dogs.
