Hernia Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Hernia, including details on hiatal, inguinal, umbilical, abdominal, treatment. | ||||||||
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Accuracy of the withdrawal reflex for localization of the site of cervical disk herniation in dogs: 35 cases (2004-2007).Forterre F, Konar M, Tomek A, Doherr M, Howard J, Spreng D, Vandevelde M, Jaggy A Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Division of Small Animal Surgery, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of neurologic examination versus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in localization of cervical disk herniation and evaluate the usefulness of withdrawal reflex testing in dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 35 client-owned dogs with a single-level cervical disk herniation as determined via MRI. PROCEDURES: 1 of 2 board-certified neurologists performed a complete neurologic examination in each dog. Clinical signs of a cervical lesion included evidence of neck pain and tetraparesis. The withdrawal reflex was used for neuroanatomic localization (C1-C5 or C6-T2). Agreement between results of neurologic and MRI examinations was determined. RESULTS: Agreement between neurologic and MRI diagnoses was 65.8%. In 11 dogs in which the lesion was clinically localized to the C6-T2 segment on the basis of a decreased withdrawal reflex in the forelimbs, MRI revealed an isolated C1-C5 disk lesion. In 1 dog, in which the lesion was suspected to be at the C1-C5 level, MRI revealed a C6-T2 lesion. Cranial cervical lesions were significantly associated with an incorrect neurologic diagnosis regarding site of the lesion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that the withdrawal reflex in dogs with cervical disk herniation is not reliable for determining the affected site and that a decreased withdrawal reflex does not always indicate a lesion from C6 to T2. Published 18 February 2008 in J Am Vet Med Assoc, 232(4): 559-63.
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