Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Re-opening the window on fenestration as a treatment for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation in dogs.
- Journal:
- The Journal of small animal practice
- Year:
- 2017
- Authors:
- Freeman, P & Jeffery, N D
- Affiliation:
- Department of Veterinary Medicine · United Kingdom
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation is a common issue in dogs that can cause back pain, weakness or paralysis in the back legs, and problems with bladder control. There has been a lot of debate about the best way to treat this condition, especially since surgery became an option in the 1950s. However, there haven't been any formal studies to compare the effectiveness of non-surgical treatments and surgery, which makes it difficult to determine the best approach ethically. This article looks back at previous research to suggest that both decompressive surgery and a specific surgical technique called fenestration might work equally well for recovery.
Abstract
Acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation in dogs is a common cause of "back" pain, pelvic limb paresis or paralysis and incontinence. Treatment of this condition has long been a source of controversy, especially since the introduction of surgical interventions in the 1950s. Unfortunately, formal clinical trials to compare efficacy of conservative and surgical interventions have never been carried out and the current lack of clinical equipoise on this subject now precludes such a trial on ethical grounds. In this article we re-examine and discuss earlier published data on recovery associated with the various therapies, focusing on evidence suggesting that decompressive surgery and fenestration may be equally efficacious.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28276121/