The prevalence of pectinate ligament dysplasia was evaluated in a prospective multi-center examination of randomly selected Golden retrievers of variable sex and age. The examinations were carried out by qualified veterinary ophthalmologists between May 1 and May 31, 2013. A total of 92 dogs (29 male and 62 female dogs) were examined. The dogs were between 6 months and 14 years old (4.53 ± 3.02 years). Gonioscopy was performed under topical anesthesia using a Koeppe lens and a hand-held slit lamp with 10-x magnification. Four quadrants (dorsal, lateral, medial, ventral) were examined in each eye. For each quadrant a score between 3 (normal) and 0 (grossly abnormal) was assigned. The average total score for all quadrants was 2.14 ±0.95. The width of the drainage angle W was 2.29 ± 0.88, while the score for mesodermal dysplasia MD was 1.98 ± 0.98. There was no significant difference between left and right eyes, however, a significant difference was found between female and male dogs, as well as between young dogs and older dogs. The width of the drainage angle decreased with age and the degree of mesodermal dysplasia increased. Female dogs had lower total scores compared to male dogs and the ventral and lateral quadrants had significantly lower scores than the other quadrants. In conclusion, 52/92 (56.5%) showed signs of Pectinate ligament dysplasia and would have to be excluded from a breeding program according to the guidelines of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Objective: The aim was to determine in vivo whether pre-operative mobility of the lumbar spine (overall and segmental) is retained after surgical intervention. Methods: Functional imaging of the lumbar spine was performed in flexion and extension, using a lateral projection under standardised conditions. This allowed assessment of the overall mobility, mobility of the instrumented mobile segments and the disc height of the adjacent cranial segment (intervertebral space; IVS) before and after surgical intervention. Images were evaluated independently by a radiologist and an orthopaedic surgeon. A comparative analysis of preoperative and postoperative functional images was carried out with the aid of a computer and appropriate software (ACES) for further assessment of the extent to which the range of movement was retained. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI, quality of life assessment) and the visual analogue scale (VAS, pain assessment) were used as clinical criteria and compared pre-and postoperatively. The mean follow-up (FU) intervals were 13.5 days (FU 1) and 19 months (FU 2). Results: Radiological results showed that the overall mobility of the lumbar spine (L1 to S1) decreased on average by one third of the flexion/ extension range, from 25.0° preoperatively to 17.6° postoperatively. The segmental mobility of the monosegmental stabilisation decreased on average from 3.7° to 2.3°. The caudal segments of the bisegmental dynamic stabilisation retained their preoperative movement range of 2.6°, with a postoperative range of 2.4°. The IVS did not change. The ODI improved postoperatively from 59 (preoperative) to 39/41 (FU1/ FU2) points, while the VAS (during movement) improved from 7.6 (pre-op) to 4.4/4.5 (FU1/FU2). Computer-assisted analysis showed that small and functionally insignificant micro-motion of 0.4° (error 0.12%) remained in the stabilised and unfused mobile segment. Conclusion: Comparison of preoperative and postoperative measurements showed that overall mobility and segmental micro-motion were retained after non-fusion stabilisation of the lumbar spine with monosegmental and bisegmental instrumentation. The adjacent cranial segment (IVS) did not collapse. Activity levels (ODI) and pain symptoms (VAS) of the patients showed significant improvement at follow-up, comparable to that reported in the literature for conventional rigid spinal fusions.
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