Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Partial percutaneous discectomy helps many dogs with thoracolumbar
By Kinzel, S et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2005·Department of Laboratory Animal Science, Germany·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Partial percutaneous discectomy for treatment of thoracolumbar disc protrusion: retrospective study of 331 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 331 dogs with back pain caused by thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease underwent a minimally invasive surgery called partial percutaneous discectomy (PPD). This procedure involved removing a small portion of the disc to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. Most dogs showed significant improvement within about a week after surgery, with nearly 89% of those with moderate symptoms recovering well. This technique is less painful and allows for quicker recovery compared to traditional surgery, making it a good option for certain cases of disc disease.
People also search for: dog back pain treatment · thoracolumbar disc disease in dogs · minimally invasive spine surgery for dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To determine retrospectively the prognosis and outcome for dogs diagnosed with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease treated with partial percutaneous discectomy (PPD). METHODS: Three hundred and thirty-one dogs presenting with symptoms of thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease from 1998 to 2003 were treated with PPD. Diagnosis and location of intervertebral disc disease was confirmed by clinical examination, radiography, myelography and magnetic resonance imaging. PPD was performed via fluoroscopy-guided removal of a 5 mm bore cylinder out of the central intervertebral space. RESULTS: Clinical success after surgery was achieved in 159 (88.8 per cent) grade II to IV patients and 58 (38.2 per cent) grade V patients. The mean (sd) time from percutaneous discectomy to first improvement was 8.3 (13.2) days. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The PPD approach to the thoracolumbar spine involves minor trauma (yielding rapid recovery) and less pain, and produces results comparable with open fenestration. Consequently, this simple minimal invasive technique can be recommended as an alternative to the technique of fenestration and can be easily performed in addition to open surgical decompression techniques or prophylactically. However, it is not a replacement for surgical treatment in dogs with thoracolumbar disc disease that require removal of disc fragments causing spinal cord or nerve root compression.
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/16245661/