Surgical treatment of lumbosacral instability caused by discospondylitis in four dogs

Objective-To describe a surgical technique involving distraction and stabil ization of the lumbosacral vertebral segment using an external skeletal fix ator in dogs with lumbosacral instability caused by discospondylitis. Study Design-Retrospective clinical study. Animals-Four client-owned dogs. Methods-Medical records of all dogs diagnosed with discospondylitis from 19 94 to 1997 were identified and reviewed. Four dogs with lumbosacral discosp ondylitis requiring surgical treatment were then specifically studied. Surg ical technique, clinical signs, preoperative diagnostic investigation, radi ographic findings, and the results of short-term and long-term reevaluation s were recorded. Results-Twelve dogs with discospondylitis were identified, 4 of which had l umbosacral discospondylitis. These 4 dogs underwent surgical distraction an d stabilization because they failed to respond to medical treatment. Three dogs received a cancellous bone graft between L7 and S1 and had rapid inter body fusion of this vertebral segment. The dog that did not receive a graft did not have interbody fusion at the time of fixator removal. This did not affect the final clinical outcome. Lumbosacral pain and neurological defic its present before surgery rapidly subsided after the procedure. All dogs r eceived concurrent antibiotic treatment for a minimum of 4 weeks. All dogs were clinically normal at the time of fixator removal and all continued to do well during the follow-up period (8-48 months; mean, 27.5 months). Conclusion and Clinical Relevance-Lumbosacral discospondylitis may not resp ond well to conservative treatment because of the mobility of the affected space. surgical treatment involving distraction and stabilization to obtain intervertebral fusion is very effective in treating lumbosacral instabilit y caused by discospondylitis. (C)Copyright 2000 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.