Thoracolumbar lateral corpectomy for treatment of chronic disk herniation: technique description and use in 15 dogs.
OBJECTIVE
To describe a technique for thoracolumbar lateral corpectomy and to evaluate its use for treatment of chronic thoracolumbar disk disease in dogs.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Fifteen dogs with signs of chronic thoracolumbar disk herniation.


METHODS
After a dorsal or lateral approach to the spine, a lateral slot was created in 2 adjacent vertebral bodies on either side of the herniated disk and extruded/protruded material was removed. Data collected included history, duration of clinical signs, presurgical assessment of neurologic status, postsurgical neurologic status, complications, and outcome.


RESULTS
Ambulatory capacity was maintained or regained, and neurologic status improved by 1 grade (3 dogs), 2 grades (8), 3 grades (2), or 4 grades (2). Eleven dogs were considered free of disease. A seroma in 1 dog was the sole complication observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Lateral corpectomy permits relatively easy removal of protruded-extruded disk material from within the vertebral canal in chronic disk disease without further iatrogenic injury to the spinal cord.


CONCLUSIONS
Lateral corpectomy is an alternative to dorsal decompression for treatment of ventral and lateroventral thoracolumbar chronic disk disease in dogs.
Moissonnier
Pierre
P
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Gle. De Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. pmoissonnier@vet-alfort.fr
Meheust
Pierre
P
Carozzo
Claude
C
D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017587:Diskectomy, Percutaneous / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D011996:Records / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D016896:Treatment Outcome