Lumbar spondylectomy in the subhuman primate.

Removal of the 2nd or 3rd lumbar vertebrae (or both) has been accomplished in the subhuman primate (Macaca mulatta). Variations between this animal and the dog in posture, vertebral column anatomy, and spinal cord blood supply made no apparent difference in the results when compared with those in previous experiments. All macaques were able to clinb and to use their hind legs in a normal manner within 3 days after surgical operation. Once hair had regrown over the surgical incision, persons not familiar with the animals were not able to identify the animals that had undergone surgical operation. If a single vertebra was removed, use of spinous process and a single vertebral body plate was sufficient to stabilize the vertebral column. Except for 1 rhesus macaque whose spinous process plates were removed 20 days after the operation, vertebral columns of macaques (n = 3) that underwent single spondylectomy healed in nearly normal alignment. With the removal of 2 lumbar vertebrae, the previously described stabilization procedure was not sufficient to prevent kyphotic deformity of the vertebral column. Spinous process plates from 1 macaque were removed after 64 days. However, all these macaques (n = 3) could climb and use their legs as well as others in the colony.