Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
MRI shows spine changes after laser disk treatment in dogs
By Irizarry, Ivette Nikol et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2022·College of Veterinary 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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Evaluation of the intervertebral disk, vertebral body, and spinal cord for changes secondary to percutaneous laser disk ablation.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 30 dogs underwent a procedure called percutaneous laser disk ablation (PLDA) to treat intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH), which can cause back pain and mobility issues. After the procedure, MRI scans showed some changes in the vertebrae and mild inflammation of the disks, but there were no serious complications like disk extrusion or spinal cord damage. The dogs were monitored for three years, and the procedure was found to be safe and effective in reducing the chances of IVDH returning. Most dogs showed improvement in their symptoms after treatment.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · intervertebral disk herniation surgery · laser treatment for dog spine issues
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intervertebral disk, vertebral endplates, and spinal cord for perioperative changes secondary to percutaneous laser disk ablation (PLDA) and correlate findings to clinical outcomes in dogs receiving thoracolumbar PLDA. STUDY DESIGN: Blinded study. ANIMALS: Thirty dogs. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before PLDA (control/Group C), immediately following PLDA (Group I), and 3 months later (perioperative/Group P). Dogs were followed 3 years. Groups and dogs were randomized for evaluation. Two radiologists were blinded to each MRI study and dog. Each radiologist evaluated the disk, vertebral body, and spinal cord at each disk space receiving PLDA. RESULTS: Mean disk degeneration was increased in Group P at L1-2 (p < .0001) and L2-3 (p = .0081). Both radiologists identified mild diskitis (1%-15%) in Group P (radiologist 1, p < .0001; radiologist 2, p = .0012). Cranial endplate lesions were identified in Group P at T11-12 (p = .0353), T13-L1 (p = .0026), and L4-5 (p = .0210). Lesions were identified in the caudal endplates of all eight disk spaces in Group P: T10-11 (p = .0004), T11-12 (p < .0001), T12-13 (p < .0001), T13-L1 (p < .0001), L1-2 (p < .0001), L2-3 (p < .0001), L3-4 (p < .0001), and L4-5 (p < .0001). There was no disk extrusion or spinal cord lesions identified. CONCLUSION: This study evaluated effects that may occur secondary to PLDA, using MRI. Although vertebral body changes were identified, they did not correlate with clinical complications. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: PLDA appears to be a safe, effective procedure performed on thoracolumbar disks to reduce recurrence of intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH) in dogs that previously experienced IVDH, despite the appearance of visible vertebral endplate lesions and mild diskitis on MRI.
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/34286854/