Outcome of Ventral Fusion of Two or Three Cervical Vertebrae with a Locking Compression Plate for the Treatment of Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy in Eight Horses.

The study investigated the effectiveness of using a locking compression plate (LCP) for ventral cervical (neck) fusion surgery in horses dealing with cervical stenotic myelopathy, a common spinal disease in horses. The researchers evaluated surgeries performed on eight horses and found that this technique can yield good clinical results, although some complications were noted, necessitating careful surgical procedures.

Study Methodology

• The research reviewed the medical records of eight horses that underwent ventral fusion of two or three cervical vertebrae using an LCP. The study considered patient data, history, preoperative grade of ataxia (lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements), diagnostic imaging, surgical technique, and complications.
• Follow-up information was collected for each case, involving clinical re-examinations and radiographs when possible.

Results

• Within the eight horses, two had two cervical vertebrae fused while the others had three fused. The horses were a mixed population with a median age of 9 months and a median weight of 330 kg. Their median ataxia grade prior to surgery was given as 3/5.
• Different types of LCPs were applied in these surgeries, including narrow, broad, and a human femur LCP.
• It was noted that two of the horses had to undergo re-operations due to implant loosening. Additionally, six cases resulted in the development of a seroma, a pocket of clear serous fluid.
• Long-term complications included instances of ventral screw migration in four horses, spinal cord injury in one, and plate breakage in another two, which occurred from 720 to 1116 days after surgery.

Conclusions

• The outcomes were classified as excellent for three horses, good for four, and poor for one.
• The researchers concluded that despite some complications, the use of an LCP for ventral cervical vertebral fusion in horses proves useful in tackling cervical stenotic myelopathy with generally good clinical outcomes. But, the success of the procedure highly depends on applying a meticulous surgical technique.