SURGICAL APPROACH TO SPINAL CORD DECOMPRESSION IN DOGS

Abstract

Intervertebral disc extrusion in dogs represents one of the main causes of acute neurological dysfunction, being responsible for varying degrees of motor and sensory impairment resulting from spinal cord compression. This process involves not only the initial mechanical injury but also the activation of complex secondary mechanisms, including inflammatory responses and oxidative changes that amplify tissue damage (Olby et al., 2022). Given this scenario, surgical decompression is a key strategy. This study consisted of a narrative review of recent literature, focusing on the main surgical approaches used for spinal cord decompression in dogs and their clinical outcomes. Hemilaminectomy remains the gold standard procedure, associated with high rates of functional recovery, particularly in patients with preserved deep nociception (Olby et al., 2022). In contrast, the loss of this function is correlated with a lower probability of locomotor recovery, reflecting greater injury severity (Khan et al., 2024). Regarding complementary approaches, durotomy has not demonstrated a significant impact on functional recovery in severe lesions, suggesting inherent limitations in the reversibility of advanced damage (Jeffery et al., 2024). Additionally, recent evidence indicates that surgical decompression directly influences the systemic inflammatory response, modulating neutrophil activity and potentially attenuating the progression of secondary damage (Van Sandt et al., 2022). In parallel, strategies based on regenerative medicine, such as the use of mesenchymal stem cells, emerge as promising alternatives by promoting immunomodulatory effects and favoring neural repair processes (Chen et al., 2022; Orlandin et al., 2021). Therefore, it is concluded that surgical spinal cord decompression is a fundamental approach in the management of severe intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), with the prognosis directly dependent on the initial severity of the lesion and the earliness of the intervention. Complementarily, the association with regenerative therapies represents a promising strategy in contemporary veterinary neurology.