Surgical treatment of cervical stenotic myelopathy in horses: 73 cases (1983-1992).

The research involved studying the surgical treatment outcomes of 73 horses diagnosed with cervical stenotic myelopathy. Results showed improvement in neurological function in notably high degrees, with no significant influence from the horses’ age or the number of cervical spinal cord compressive lesions. However, both the surgical procedures used were related to nonfatal and fatal postoperative complications.

Study Design and Set-Up

• This scientific study was conducted over a period of around nine years, between 1983 and 1992.
• It involved a sample size of 73 horses, all suffering from cervical stenotic myelopathy, which is a degenerative condition affecting the cervical spine and leading to spinal cord compression.
• The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of surgical treatment procedures such as cervical vertebral interbody fusion and dorsal laminectomy.

Treatment Methods and Findings

• Out of the total sample, 63 horses underwent cervical vertebral interbody fusion—a surgery to permanently join together two or more vertebrae in the horse’s neck. The remaining 10 horses underwent dorsal laminectomy—a surgery to remove a portion of the vertebral bone called the lamina.
• Post-treatment, neurological function improved in 77% of horses, and a notable 46% achieved athletic function which incorporated racing, race training, or pleasure riding following cervical vertebral interbody fusion. After dorsal decompression, neurological function improved in 4 out of 10 horses.
• The research noted that the length of time over which the horses had displayed clinical signs before obtaining surgical treatment affected their recovery. Those who showed signs for a shorter period demonstrated better post-surgical improvement.
• Horses’ ages and the number of compressive lesions on their cervical spinal cord did not seem to affect the long-term outcomes of the cervical vertebral interbody fusion surgery.

Complications and Concerns

• The research identified both nonfatal and fatal complications associated with these surgical treatments.
• Nonfatal complications correlated with cervical vertebral interbody fusion surgery included seroma formation (accumulation of fluid in the tissues), implant failure, right laryngeal hemiplegia (paralysis of the right side of the larynx), and colitis (inflammation of the inner lining of the colon).
• On the more serious side, fatal postoperative complications were also diagnosed. These arose from cervical vertebral interbody fusion and dorsal laminectomy of static compressive lesions of the caudal cervical vertebral column. Such complications involved vertebral body fracture, spinal cord edema (swelling), and implant failure.