Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Spinal shortening helps protect spinal cord function in dogs
By Lu, Qiu-An et al.·Published in Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research·2019·Department of Orthopedics, China·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effect of Spinal Shortening for Protection of Spinal Cord Function in Canines with Spinal Cord Angulation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of dogs undergoing surgery for severe spinal deformities had their spinal cords shortened to see how it affected their function and blood flow. The results showed that shortening the spinal cord by one-quarter to half helped protect it from damage, while shortening it by three-quarters caused significant harm. This suggests that careful spinal shortening during surgery can help prevent injury to the spinal cord.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Posterior vertebral column resection (PVCR) has been widely used as a treatment for severe spinal deformity. By using the canine model of vertebral column resection, this study explored the effect of spinal shortening on blood flow and function of the spinal cord during spinal cord angulation. MATERIAL AND METHODS The canine model of L1 vertebral column resection was constructed with the PVCR technique. The canines were divided into 5 groups according to the degree of shortening: the 0/4 group, the 1/4 group, the 2/4 group, the 3/4 group, and the control group. Spinal cord blood flow, neuroelectrophysiology, HE staining, nitric oxide, and endothelin-1 were measured during the procedure of vertebral column resection and spinal cord angulation. RESULTS The results showed that, in the 1/4 group and the 2/4 group, the blood flow of the spinal cord decreased by 16.5% and 10.6%, respectively, with no obvious damage in the spinal cord; in the 0/4 group and the 3/4 group, the blood flow decreased by 23.5% and 23.1%, respectively, with significant damage in the spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS When the spinal cord is shortened by 1/4 to 2/4, the tolerance of the spinal cord can increase and spinal cord injury resulting from angulation can be avoided. However, when the shortening reaches 3/4, it is harmful to the spinal cord. Proper shortening of the spinal cord by 1/4 to 2/4 may increase the tolerance of the spinal cord to the damage caused by angulation during PVCR.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31791038/