Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog with spinal tumor causing leg weakness fully recovered
By Yanke, Amy B et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2019·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Remission after complete excision of an intramedullary hemangioma with an identifiable tumor plane in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5.5-year-old spayed female Leonberger was experiencing worsening coordination issues in her back legs. After an MRI showed a mass in her spine, veterinarians performed surgery to remove the tumor, using a technique that allowed them to clearly see the tumor's boundaries. The surgery was successful, and follow-up MRIs showed that the tumor was completely removed, with no signs of it coming back even after 22 months. While she still had some mild coordination issues in one leg, the surgery was the only treatment needed, and she remained in remission.
People also search for: dog back leg coordination problems · Leonberger spinal tumor surgery · hemangioma in dogs treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the use of an identifiable tumor plane (ITP) during myelotomy to excise an intramedullary hemangioma in a dog and report the outcome. STUDY DESIGN: Case report. ANIMALS: One 5.5-year-old 42.9-kg spayed female Leonberger dog. METHODS: Clinical signs included progressive proprioceptive deficits of both pelvic limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging was consistent with a dorsal intramedullary mass at L3-L4. A laminectomy of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae provided access for dorsal myelotomy. A clear surgical ITP was identified between the intramedullary mass and the spinal cord facilitating complete surgical resection. RESULTS: Histopathological examination was consistent with a hemangioma. Postoperative MRI was consistent with complete excision of the mass. No evidence of recurrence was found by MRI at 3 months and at 22 months after surgery. Mild proprioceptive deficits persisted in the right pelvic limb. CONCLUSION: A clear ITP was present, and gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved without significant morbidity. Persistent clinical remission resulted from surgery as the sole therapy. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: For an intramedullary tumor, GTR is the absence of visible tumor on intraoperative inspection combined with the absence of intramedullary contrast enhancement on postoperative MRI. When an ITP is present, GTR and resultant long-term remission may be more likely.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31179565/