REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Localisation of spinal cord compression in horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy is inexact. Vertebral canal endoscopy has been used in man to localise spinal cord lesions and has the potential to become a useful diagnostic technique in horses. OBJECTIVE: To establish a surgical approach via the atlanto-occipital space to the cervical vertebral canal in equine cadavers and describe the endoscopic anatomy of the cervical epidural and subarachnoid spaces. METHODS: The cadavers of 25 mature horses were used to assess 3 surgical methods to approach the cervical vertebral canal, including 2 minimally invasive and one open technique. Once the approach had been made, a flexible videoendoscope was inserted into the epidural space (epiduroscopy) or the subarachnoid space (myeloscopy) and advanced caudally until the intervertebral space between C7 and T1 was reached. RESULTS: The epidural and subarachnoid spaces could not be accessed reliably using the minimally invasive techniques. Furthermore, damage to the nervous tissues was a frequent complication with these procedures. The open approach allowed successful insertion of the videoendoscope into the epidural and subarachnoid spaces in all horses and no inadvertent damage was observed. Anatomical structures that could be seen in the epidural space included the dura mater, nerve roots, fat and the ventral internal vertebral venous plexus. In the subarachnoid space, the spinal cord, nerve roots, blood vessels, denticulate ligaments and external branch of the accessory nerve were seen. CONCLUSIONS: Using the open approach, epiduroscopy and myeloscopy over the entire length of the cervical vertebral canal are possible in the mature horse. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Cervical vertebral canal endoscopy may become a valuable tool to localise the site of spinal cord injury in horses with cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy and could aid in the diagnosis of other diseases of the cervical spinal cord
Keywords : anatomy & histology,Animals,blood,Blood Vessels,Cadaver,Cervical Vertebrae,diagnosis,Dura Mater,Endoscopy,Epidural Space,Female,Horses,injuries,Ligaments,Male,methods,Spinal Canal,Spinal Cord,Spinal Cord Compression,Spinal Cord Injuries,Subarachnoid Space,surgery,Universities,veterinary,, Anatomy,Cervical,Vertebral, neck pain from sitting at computer
Date of Publication : 2011 May
Authors : Prange T;Derksen FJ;Stick JA;Garcia-Pereira FL;
Organisation : Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, USA. prangeti@cvm.msu.edu
Journal of Publication : Equine Vet J
Pubmed Link : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21492209
The London Spine Unit : Harley Street UK. Specialists in Cutting Edge Technologies for Spinal Surgery
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