Partial lateral corpectomy associated with pediculectomy to treat extradural chondroma in a dog: technique description / Corpectomia lateral parcial associada à pediculectomia no tratamento de condroma extradural em um cão: descrição da técnica

This study aimed to describe in detail the surgical technique of partial lateral corpectomy (PLC) associated with pediculectomy to treat an in vitro extradural chondroma. A 12-year old female Cocker Spaniel was seen in the hospital with proprioceptive ataxia of hind limbs associated with extradural compression between the 1st and 2nd lumbar vertebrae. The owner opted for euthanasia since the patient's condition changed due to simultaneous illnesses that culminated in a poor prognosis. The patient's body was formally ceded to perform experimental spinal decompression. The technique was effective to completely remove the epidural mass with minimal manipulation of the spinal cord...

Objetivou-se descrever detalhadamente a técnica cirúrgica de corpectomia lateral parcial associada à pediculectomia no tratamento de um condroma extradural in vitro. Uma cadela de 12 anos de idade, raça Cocker Spaniel, foi atendida com ataxia proprioceptiva dos membros pélvicos associada à compressão extradural entre a primeira e a segunda vértebras lombares. Devido a alterações secundárias decorrentes de afecções concomitantes que culminavam em um prognóstico desfavorável, o proprietário optou pela eutanásia do paciente, e o cadáver foi formalmente cedido para realização de descompressão medular experimental. A técnica utilizada foi eficaz na remoção completa da massa extradural, com mínima manipulação da medula espinhal...

A review of neuroendoscopy and potential applications in veterinary medicine.

The endoscope was first developed over 200 yr ago. Endoscopy has since been applied to many disciplines of medicine. Its application to the nervous system was initially slow and not widely accepted and mainly involved the biopsy of tumors and the treatment of hydrocephalus. Several reasons for neuroendoscopy's limited use include inadequate endoscope technology, high skill level required, the advent of the surgical microscope, and the development of other treatments such as ventricular shunting. Over the past 50 yr, improvements in optical glass lenses, fiber optics, and electrical circuitry has led to better equipment and a revival of neuroendoscopy. Neuroendoscopy is now used in many diseases in human medicine including hydrocephalus, neoplasia, and intracranial cysts. This review presents the history of neuroendoscopy, the equipment and technology used, and the possible translation of techniques currently used in human medicine to veterinary medicine.

A retrospective case series of computer-controlled total intravenous anaesthesia in dogs presented for neurosurgery.

This article describes the anaesthetic management and use of total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) for neurosurgery in 4 dogs. Propofol in conjunction with morphine was used for the maintenance of anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was induced with either thiopentone or propofol. The program Stelpump (a target-controlled infusion program) was run on a laptop and connected to a syringe driver via an RS 232 cable. The program was found to be reliable and safe for the administration of TIVA in dogs. Invasive monitoring was required in order to monitor cardiovascular changes during surgery. Ventilation was controlled to maintain the end-tidal carbon dioxide below 40 mm Hg. The anaesthesia was characterised by haemodynamic stability. The haemodynamic stability was probably the result of the choice of TIVA and balanced anaesthesia. Intracranial pressure and oedema was controlled with dexamethasone, mannitol and ventilatory management either in combination or alone. Three dogs survived to hospital discharge and 1 dog was euthanased 2 weeks later due to tumour metastasis. The development and characterisation of the anaesthetic effects of TIVA needs to be elucidated in order to provide clinicians with rational guidelines for the appropriate use of TIVA in veterinary medicine.

[History of pituitary surgery in humans and animals: from experiments with dogs to treatment of patients]. / Geschiedenis van de hypofysechirurgie bij mens en dier: van experimenten bij honden naar behandeling van patiënten.

At the end of the 19th century and the start of the 20th century experimental hypophysectomy was carried out on cats and dogs, by means of the lateral temporal approach, to investigate the physiological role of the pituitary gland because there was a debate as to whether the pituitary gland was essential for life. At the same time pioneering neurosurgeons such as Harvey Cushing used animal experiments to explore the different approaches to the neurocranium and the pituitary, thereby taking the first steps towards neurosurgery in humans. Eventually the transsphenoidal route was chosen for such an operation. Veterinary medicine has benefited from these developments in the medical field. For the past few decades, hypophysectomy has been used for the treatment of pituitary adenomas in dogs and cats that are kept as pets.

Medical care of the neurosurgical patient.

Proper medical care before and after surgery play an important role in the overall care of patients requiring neurosurgery and will have an impact on the neurological recovery. Prevention of spinal cord destruction resulting from the cascade of events which occur secondary to central nervous system trauma is a critical part of a patient's preoperative care. High doses of methylprednisolone sodium succinate given within the first 8 hours of trauma are currently recommended to provide protection to neural tissue after trauma. Other promising drugs for patients with spinal trauma, such as 21-aminosteroids and GM-1 gangliosides, may become available in the near future. Knowledge of potential complications after surgery and methods to prevent complications from occurring is an important part of the postoperative care of neurosurgical patients. This includes management of micturition and defecation dysfunction, management of postoperative pain, physical therapy to speed recovery, and providing good supportive care to the recumbent patient.