Mini-partial lateral corpectomy and hemilaminectomy for the treatment of heavily protruded thoracolumbar intervertebral disc in small dogs

Five paraplegic dogs were diagnosed with thoracolumbar intervertebral disc disease with more than 50% compression of spinal cord. Because the lesions were determined to be disc extrusion on magnetic resonance imaging, a hemilaminectomy was initially performed, however, protruded discs were confirmed during surgery. To remove the protruded disc, modified partial lateral corpectomy (mini-PLC) was additionally performed. All dogs recovered to full ambulation within a median of 44 days without temporary deterioration or vertebral instability. Mini-PLC as described here enables successful removal of the protruded disc, while preserving vertebral stability in dogs for whom the use of hemilaminectomy is inevitable.