Adjunctive Interferential Electrotherapy Provides Transient Postoperative Analgesia After Hemilaminectomy in Dogs

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Pain Management
• Neurological Surgery

Background:

• Postoperative pain management in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy for acute intervertebral disc extrusion (IVDE) often relies on opioids.
• Adjunctive non-pharmacologic therapies are sought to reduce opioid use and adverse effects.
• Interferential current electrotherapy (IFC) is a potential non-pharmacologic modality for pain relief.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the short-term analgesic effects of IFC as an adjunctive therapy in dogs following thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy for IVDE.
• To compare pain scores, opioid consumption, and mechanical sensory thresholds between dogs receiving conventional analgesia and those receiving conventional analgesia plus IFC.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled trial involving 20 dogs with acute IVDE.
• Dogs were assigned to a control group (conventional analgesia) or an IFC group (conventional analgesia + IFC).
• IFC sessions were administered within 24 hours postoperatively; outcome measures were assessed at 2-4h, 8-18h, and 20-24h postoperatively.

Main Results:

• The IFC group showed significantly lower pain scores (CMPS-SF) at 8-18 hours postoperatively compared to the control group (p=0.03).
• No significant differences in pain scores were observed at 2-4 hours or 20-24 hours postoperatively.
• Total opioid consumption and peri-incisional mechanical sensory thresholds did not differ significantly between groups.

Conclusions:

• IFC may offer transient postoperative analgesic benefits in dogs after hemilaminectomy for IVDE.
• IFC did not appear to reduce opioid requirements or alter mechanical sensory thresholds within the first 24 hours.
• Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine the optimal role and protocols for IFC in canine postoperative pain management.