Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Disc fenestration with surgery lowers disc herniation return
By Forterre, Franck et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2008·Department of Surgery·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Influence of intervertebral disc fenestration at the herniation site in association with hemilaminectomy on recurrence in chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar disc disease: a prospective MRI study.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 19 chondrodystrophic dogs, averaging 7 years old, were treated for thoracolumbar disc herniation, a common issue in breeds like Dachshunds. Some dogs underwent a surgical procedure called hemilaminectomy along with a technique called fenestration, which helps prevent future disc problems. After surgery, none of the dogs that had fenestration experienced a recurrence of disc material, while 6 out of 10 dogs without fenestration had a return of symptoms, including pain and weakness. This suggests that fenestration can help reduce the chances of future disc issues after surgery.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · Dachshund disc herniation surgery · dog hemilaminectomy recovery
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the influence of fenestration at the disc herniation site on recurrence in thoracolumbar disc disease of chondrodystrophoid dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Chondrodystrophic dogs (n=19). METHODS: Dogs were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (9 dogs) had thoracolumbar disc extrusion (Hansen type I) treated by hemilaminectomy and concomitant fenestration of the affected intervertebral disc and group 2 (10 dogs) had hemilaminectomy without fenestration. All dogs had 3 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations: preoperatively, immediately postoperatively to assess removal of herniated disc material, and again 6 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: There were 13 male and 6 female dogs; mean age, 7.1 years. Thoracolumbar disc herniation was confirmed with MRI. Immediate post surgical MRI revealed that the herniated disc removal was complete in all but 1 dog and that fenestration did not lead to complete removal of nucleus pulposus within the intervertebral disc space. On the 3rd MRI examination, none of the group 1 dogs had further disc material herniation at the fenestrated site. Six of the 10 group 2 dogs had a recurrence of herniation leading to clinical signs in 3 dogs (pain in 2 dogs, paresis in 1 dog). CONCLUSION: In thoracolumbar disc herniation, fenestration of the affected intervertebral disc space prevents further extrusion of disc material. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Fenestration reduces the risk of early recurrence of disc herniation and associated postoperative complications.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18564265/