Fefer Gilad, Bynum Lauren, Early Peter
Department of Clinical Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, USA.
JFMS Open Rep. 2024 Aug 2;10(2):20551169241261577. doi: 10.1177/20551169241261577. eCollection 2024 Jul-Dec.
A 9-year-old male castrated domestic shorthair cat was presented with a 2-week history of acute, progressive left pelvic limb lameness. Gait evaluation revealed a grade 3/5 left pelvic limb lameness with no apparent orthopedic cause for the lameness based on orthopedic examination or radiographs. The neurological examination was otherwise normal. MRI revealed a left-sided L6-7 far lateral intervertebral disc extrusion with possible secondary neuritis of the L6 spinal nerve. A left-sided L6-7 foraminotomy was performed to remove the extruded disc material and provide additional space for the significantly enlarged nerve root. An L6-7 fenestration was also performed. The patient made an excellent recovery with near-complete resolution of lameness at 26 days postoperatively.
This case report contributes to the growing body of literature on lateral intervertebral disc extrusion as an etiological factor in pelvic limb lameness in cats, particularly when neurological deficits are absent. Furthermore, the case report highlights the diagnostic utility of cross-sectional advanced imaging for cats with lameness for which an orthopedic or radiographic cause cannot be identified. Finally, this case underscores the efficacy of surgical intervention as a treatment option for cats with lumbar far lateral intervertebral disc extrusions that do not improve with medical management alone. This finding could have implications for future surgical approaches in cats with similar findings.
一只9岁已去势的家养短毛雄性猫，因急性进行性左后肢跛行2周前来就诊。步态评估显示左后肢跛行程度为3/5级，根据骨科检查或X光片，未发现明显的导致跛行的骨科病因。神经系统检查其他方面均正常。磁共振成像（MRI）显示左侧L6 - 7远外侧椎间盘突出，可能伴有L6脊神经继发性神经炎。进行了左侧L6 - 7椎间孔切开术以清除突出的椎间盘物质，并为明显增粗的神经根提供额外空间。还进行了L6 - 7开窗术。术后26天，患者恢复良好，跛行几乎完全消失。
本病例报告为关于外侧椎间盘突出作为猫后肢跛行病因的文献增多做出了贡献，特别是在没有神经功能缺损的情况下。此外，该病例报告强调了横断面高级成像对无法确定骨科或影像学病因的跛行猫的诊断效用。最后，本病例强调了手术干预作为单独药物治疗无效的腰椎远外侧椎间盘突出猫的治疗选择的有效性。这一发现可能对未来有类似发现的猫的手术方法有影响。
