Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with spinal cyst and weak back legs treated with surgery
By Ricci, Emanuele et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2011·Department of Animal Pathology, Italy·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: MRI findings, surgical treatment and follow-up of a myelomeningocele with tethered spinal cord syndrome in a cat.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A 7-month-old male neutered cat was brought in for weakness in his back legs and pain near his spine. X-rays and an MRI revealed a cyst on his spinal cord, which was causing these issues. The vet performed surgery to remove the cyst, and the very next day, the cat was able to walk, although he had some temporary trouble with bowel control. This case is notable because it's the first successful surgical treatment of this type of spinal condition in a cat, and the cat is now recovering well.
People also search for: cat back leg weakness · cat spinal cord cyst treatment · myelomeningocele in cats · cat surgery recovery tips
Abstract
A 7-month-old male neutered cat was referred for paraparesis and painful sensation at the level of T13 vertebra where a dermal cyst was observed. Spine radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a well-encapsulated cyst communicating with the meninges and spinal cord, suggestive of hydromyelia and myelodysplasia. Dorsal laminectomy was performed and the cyst was completely removed. The day after surgery, the cat was ambulatory paraparetic. Involuntary defecation was observed for only a few days. The surgical specimen was cystic and covered by skin. Microscopic examination revealed a hollow hemispheric mass of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive neural tissue lined by ependyma and formed of glia and vascular structures consistent with myelomeningocele (MMC). Only anecdotal descriptions of MMC have been published in the veterinary literature, mainly in the lumbosacral spinal cord. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a MMC with tethered spinal cord syndrome in a cat successfully treated surgically.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21439878/