Selection of the appropriate surgical approach for intervertebral disc disease

In no other area of veterinary surgery is the selection and performance of the appropriate surgical approach more important than neurosurgery. An adequate, atraumatic, and anatomically sound exposure is an important part of the battle in most orthopaedic procedures and is an even more important consideration when related to neurosurgery. The delicate and often unforgiving nature of the tissue involved dictates that careful planning and attention to detail become high priority concerns for the veterinary neurosurgeon. Most veterinarians recommend surgery for dogs with severe impairment, recurrent disease, and progressively deteriorating neurologic signs. Difficulties remain in the timing of surgery and in the choice of what surgical approach is most appropriate for the neurologically impaired dog in question. Surgical approaches in the cervical region include ventral and dorsal. In the thoracolumbar spine, either dorsal or dorsolateral approaches are used. In the lumbosacral region, a dorsal approach is preferred. The objective of this chapter will be to compare and contrast each of these approaches and to guide the reader in the selection of the appropriate approach for each patient.