Technique and short-term outcomes associated with a minimally invasive endoscopically assisted thoracolumbar hemilaminectomy in 40 dogs

Objective To describe the technique and short-term outcomes associated with endoscopically assisted hemilaminectomy. Methods Dogs were included if they had a minimally invasive endoscopic hemilaminectomy due to compressive disc disease with minimum 8-week follow-up. A small surgical approach was performed between the affected dorsal spinous processes and the associated articular facet removed. The remainder of the procedure including bone removal and spinal decompression was performed using endoscopic control. Outcome measures included signalment, weight, body-condition score, duration of signs, and pre- and post-operative physical and neurological examination findings, CT imaging, surgical time and complications. Results Forty client-owned dogs met the inclusion criteria for the study. Mean surgery time was 57 min (range 20–95). There was a significant decrease in neuroscore from pre-intervention (mean 3.14, 95% CI 2.70–3.58) to post-intervention (mean 1.31, 95% CI 0.83–1.79), mean difference = -1.83, 95% CI -1.40 to -2.26. The average length of hospitalization following surgery was on average 1.9 days (IQR 1.75). Five dogs experienced post-operative complications. Post-operative CTs revealed no visible residual disc material in any patient, which was consistent with endoscopic findings. Body condition score had no effect on any outcome measures. Conclusions The technique described here was safe and effective and allowed for good visualization and access to the spinal canal. Most complications were manageable and within commonly accepted limits. Clinical relevance Endoscopically assisted hemilaminectomy can be performed effectively with commonly available instrumentation and may be considered to minimize surgical trauma.