title: Chemonucleolysis with collagenase. A radiographic and pathologic study in dogs.
abstract: Collagenase, a proteolytic enzyme, was injected intradiscally in nine clinically normal, middle-aged beagles. Calcium chloride diluent solution (control), 100 ABC units of collagenase, and 250 ABC units of collagenase, were injected in randomly selected intervertebral discs (T13-L1 to L5-L6). On day 11, the discs injected with collagenase were narrowed radiographically, but there was no significant change in myelograms. Grossly and histologically, there was dissolution of the intervertebral discs, mainly nucleus pulposus, and protrusion of nucleus material in the vertebral body through bony end-plates in discs injected with collagenase. Collagenase chemonucleolysis may be an alternative to spinal surgery for intervertebral disc protrusion in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyabayashi
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Lord
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Dubielzig
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Biller
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Manley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D004285:Dogs; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D007404:Intervertebral Disc Chemolysis / Q000662:veterinary*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003012:Microbial Collagenase / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009192:Myelography / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D003012:Microbial Collagenase