Abstract
A 4-year-old female spayed French bulldog was presented with a 2-day history of neck
pain and left thoracic limb lameness with no neurological deficits. A computed tomography
(CT) examination showed a left foraminal T1-2 disc extrusion. Surgical management
was performed using a left lateral approach to the vertebral column with a scapular
osteotomy. A T1-2 mini-hemilaminectomy was performed. The scapular osteotomy was stabilized
with two 2.4-mm locking compression plates. The postoperative CT and radiographic
examinations showed adequate decompression of the T1-2 foramen and good reduction
in the scapular osteotomy. The dog was able to walk the following day. At the 1-month
follow-up, the dog had no neck pain but persistent slight left thoracic limb lameness.
Ten months postoperatively, a CT scan showed no abnormalities at the surgical site,
and the dog had no neurological deficits nor lameness. The aim of this case report
was to describe a new lateral approach to T1-2 intervertebral space.
Keywords
dog - cranial thoracic disc extrusion - lateral approach - scapular osteotomy - T1-2
mini-hemilaminectomy
