34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

To describe an image-guided surgical approach for cervical hemilaminectomy and to evaluate clinical outcomes in dogs with lateralized cervical disc extrusions

Methods:

Medical records (2020-2024) of dogs (n=10) undergoing cervical hemilaminectomy for Hansen type 1 disc extrusion were reviewed. Data included signalment, diagnostic findings, image-guided recognition of the surgical site, surgical time, complications and clinical outcome.

Results:

Median age was 5.8 years (range 2-12) and median body weight was 12.05 kg (range 7.6-36.8), with French Bulldogs most commonly affected (n=5). Preoperative neurologic grade was 1 (n=1),  2 (n=2), 3 (n=4), and 4 (n=3). Disc extrusion at C3-4 (n=3), C4-5 (n=3) and C5-6 (n = 4) with spinal cord compression was identified on CT (n = 2), CT myelogram (n=2) and MRI (n=6). Preoperative guidance included needle placement (n=2), methylene blue (n=1) and methylene blue with fluoroscopy (n=4). Minor complications included intraoperative haemorrhage (n=3), and postoperative haematoma (n=1). Short term clinical outcome was excellent in 9/10 cases. Preoperative injection of methylene blue in 5 dogs permitted grid dissection to the surgical site in 4/5. Fluoroscopic identification was successfully performed in 4/4 cases.

Conclusions:

Cervical hemilaminectomy, while technically demanding, can be simplified with minor technical modifications, including preoperative methylene blue injection and intraoperative fluoroscopy, with low morbidity and excellent return to function in dogs with acute lateralized cervical disc extrusion.