title: Thoracolumbar lateral corpectomy for treatment of chronic disk herniation: technique description and use in 15 dogs.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 Avenue du Gle. De Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France. pmoissonnier@vet-alfort.fr
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moissonnier
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meheust
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carozzo
mesh_terms: 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