Biomechanics of the thoracolumbar vertebral column of dogs during lateral bending.
OBJECTIVE
To study biomechanical characteristics of the normal and surgically altered canine thoracolumbar vertebral column to determine the effects of surgery and trauma on lateral stability.


METHODS
The T13-L1 vertebral motion units of 48 mixed-breed dogs were dissected free of surrounding musculature and prepared for biomechanical testing by cross-pinning the vertebral bodies and mounting in polymethylmethacrylate.


METHODS
Normal and surgically altered spinal specimens were subjected to lateral bending. The mean slope of the bending moment versus angular displacement curve and the load to failure were compared between treatment groups and significance was determined by the method of least squares (P < 0.05). Specimens were surgically altered by facetectomy, lateral fenestration, diskectomy, and combinations of these procedures. Each specimen was subjected to lateral bending to failure at a rate of 2.5 cm/min in a swing arm bending jig designed to simulate 4-point bending and subject the specimen to pure bending.


RESULTS
Only specimens undergoing diskectomy had a significant decrease in slope and load at failure. Unilateral and bilateral facetectomies and fenestration induced a nonsignificant decrease in stiffness, compared with control specimens.


CONCLUSIONS
Fenestrations and facetectomies do not appear to increase the risk of injury to the canine thora-columbar spinal cord during lateral bending.


CONCLUSIONS
Fenestrations and facetectomies, as used in routine laminectomies, may be performed without concern for significant destabilization of the spine in lateral bending; however, it is possible that thoracolumbar spinal fractures involving only the vertebral body may significantly destabilize the spine in all modes of bending.
Schulz
K S
KS
Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, USA.
Waldron
D R
DR
Grant
J W
JW
Shell
L
L
Smith
G
G
Shires
P K
PK
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases; D004285:Dogs / Q000502:physiology*; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000662:veterinary; D011187:Posture; D012016:Reference Values; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery