Surgical treatment of constrictive myelopathy in dogs

Article describes the examination and treatment of dogs with a constrictive myelopathy (CM). CM is a degenerative pathology of the spinal cord associated with instability of the spinal column in the thoracolumbar region due to dysplasia of the caudal articular processes (aplasia or hypoplasia), which leads to microtraumas of the spinal cord and requires surgical treatment. Operative technique was used to stabilize the spinal column by installing a system of multiaxial screws in the vertebrae with dysplasia of the caudal articular processes for the treatment of CM. Positive dynamics of neurological status was observed in 8 of 13 operated animals, in 3 patients the progression of clinical signs significantly slowed down, the neurological status of two dogs did not change after operation. The described method of stabilization of the spinal column prevents abnormal mobility of the spinal column in the area of dysplasia of the articular processes of the vertebrae. Our observations confirm that one of the causes of pia-arachnoid fibrosis is chronic spinal cord injury due to instability of the spinal column.