Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dogs with broken spines treated by fluoroscopic external fixation
By Wheeler, Jason L et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2007·Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences and the Center for Veterinary Sports Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Closed fluoroscopic-assisted spinal arch external skeletal fixation for the stabilization of vertebral column injuries in five dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Five dogs with traumatic spinal injuries were treated using a special external fixator to stabilize their vertebrae. The dogs, aged between 6 and 72 months, had their injuries corrected with this technique, and most showed good alignment right after surgery. Within three months, all dogs regained normal movement and function, and long-term follow-ups revealed that their owners were very pleased with their recovery. This method proved to be effective with minimal complications, making it a viable option for treating similar injuries in dogs.
People also search for: dog spinal injury treatment · external fixator for dog spine · dog recovery after spinal surgery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcome after closed fluoroscopic-assisted application of spinal arch external skeletal fixators in dogs with vertebral column injuries. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: Dogs with traumatic vertebral column injuries (n=5). METHODS: Medical records of dogs with vertebral column fractures and/or luxations stabilized with spinal arch external skeletal fixator frames applied using a closed fluoroscopic-assisted technique were reviewed. Owners were contacted to obtain long-term clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Five dogs (age range, 6-72 months; weight, 10-54 kg) had traumatic vertebral column injuries stabilized with spinal arch external skeletal fixators applied in closed fashion. Injuries involved vertebral segments of the thoracolumbar junction, lumbar spine, and lumbosacral junction. Immediately postoperatively, 4 dogs had anatomic alignment of their vertebral fracture/luxation; 1 dog had 1 mm of vertebral canal height compromise. Time to fixator removal ranged from 65 to 282 days (141+/-87 days). All dogs had regained satisfactory neurologic function by 3 months. At long-term follow-up (range, 282-780 days; mean 445+/-190 days) all dogs were judged to have good to excellent return of function by their owners. CONCLUSION: Successful closed fluoroscopic-assisted application of external skeletal fixators using spinal arches provided satisfactory reduction with few complications in 5 dogs. Return to function was judged to be good to excellent in all dogs at long-term evaluation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Closed fluoroscopic-assisted application of ESF using spinal arches provided satisfactory reduction and effective stabilization of spinal fractures with few complications and should be considered as a treatment approach.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17614925/