Review and retrospective analysis of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in 156 dogs treated by dorsal laminectomy

Abstract

The medical records of 156 dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLS) that underwent decompressive surgery were reviewed for signalment, history, clinical signs, imaging and surgical findings. The German Shepherd Dog (GSD) was most commonly affected (40/156, 25.6%). Pelvic limb lameness, caudal lumbar pain and pain evoked by lumbosacral pressure were the most frequent clinical findings. Radiography showed lumbosacral step formation in 78.8% (93/118) of the dogs which was associated with elongation of the sacral lamina in 18.6% (22/118). Compression of the cauda equina was diagnosed by imaging (epidurography, CT, or MRI) in 94.2% (147/156) of the dogs. Loss of the bright nucleus pulposus signal of the L7-S1 disc was found on T2-weighted MR images in 73.5% (25/34) of the dogs. The facet joint angle at L7-S1 was significantly smaller, and the tropism greater in GSD than in the other dog breeds. The smaller facet joint angle and higher incidence of tropism seen in the GSD may predispose this breed to DLS. Epidurography, CT, and MRI allow adequate visualization of cauda equina compression. During surgery, disc protrusion was found in 70.5% (110/156) of the dogs. Overall improvement after surgery was recorded in the medical records in 79.0% (83/105) of the dogs. Of the 38 owners that responded to questionnaires up to five years after surgery, 29 (76%) perceived an improvement.

Minimally invasive approach to lumbosacral decompression in a cadaveric canine model

“…Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS) is a common condition of middle-aged and older large breed dogs, particularly German Shepherd and working dogs, leading to potentially debilitating pain and neurological deficits (Oliver et al 1978;Danielsson and Sjöstrom 1999;Suwankong et al 2008). Neurological dysfunction is related to compression of the cauda equina nerve roots secondary to pathophysiologic processes such as intervertebral disk protrusion, articular facet joint misalignment, and chronic lumbosacral instability (Lenehan and Tarvin 1998;De Risio et al 2001;Benninger et al 2006).…”

Frecuencia De Presentación De Inestabilidad Lumbosacra en Caninos Labrador Retriever

“…Se halló una alta frecuencia de presentación de ILS en canes Labrador Retriever (75%, 45/60) mediante la evaluación radiológica, frecuencia bastante similar a los datos obtenidos por Ness (1994) y Suwankong et al (2008), quienes reportan frecuencias de 70.0 y 78.8%, respectivamente, en estudios con varias razas, incluyendo el Labrador Retriever.…”

“…Uno de los segmentos afectados es el segmento lumbosacro, donde se encuentra la cauda equina, conjunto de nervios periféricos que abandonan caudalmente la médula espinal (Suwankong et al, 2008).…”

“…En el canino, los signos clínicos de las lesiones lumbosacras difieren de los observados en otras zonas de la columna vertebral, dado que a este nivel no se presenta la médula espinal como tal, sino tan sólo la cauda equina. Sin embargo, es factible que la enfermedad de la columna lumbar baja tenga un efecto importante, ya que puede comprometer, en forma individual o en conjunto, varios nervios que controlan la locomoción, la continencia fecal y urinaria, y la sensibilidad de los miembros posteriores (Suwankong et al, 2008).…”

Spinal hyperostosis in humans and companion animals

“…Osteophyte formations extending dorso-laterally can compress spinal nerve roots at the level of intervertebral foraminae (Morgan et al 1989). Spondylosis was also detected on computed tomography (CT) images in 62% of dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLS) (Suwankong et al 2008). Although the presence of spondylosis has been suggested to be correlated with Hansen's type 2 disc protrusion (Levine et al 2006), spondylosis is also found in combination with healthy intervertebral discs.…”