title: Influence of durotomy on laser-Doppler measurement of spinal cord blood flow in chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar disk extrusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess influence of durotomy on spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) in chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar disk extrusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chondrodystrophic dogs with thoracolumbar disk extrusion (n = 11).
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis was based on neurologic signs, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and surgical confirmation. Regional SCBF was measured 3 times intraoperatively by laser-Doppler flowmetry: (1) before surgical decompression; (2) immediately after decompression by hemilaminectomy-durotomy; and (3) after 15 minutes of lesion lavage. A standardized hemilaminectomy and durotomy performed by the same neurosurgeon, was used to minimize factors that could influence measurement readings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in intraoperative SCBF was found immediately after spinal cord decompression and durotomy in dogs but SCBF returned to previous levels or lower after 15 minutes of lavage. Changes in SCBF were not associated with duration of clinical signs; neurologic status, degree of spinal cord compression, or signal intensity changes as assessed by MRI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Durotomy does not increase SCBF in dogs with disk extrusion associated spinal cord compression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blaser
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henke
authors.forename: Marcus G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Doherr
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adami
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forterre
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000662:veterinary*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*