The evaluation of optimal, safe implant corridors in thoracolumbal vertebrae in dogs with to computerized tomography

Vertebral destabilization and pathologies are common in veterinary medicine. Vertebral instabilities are mostly treated with surgery. Most vertebra fractures and luxations in dogs happen at the thoracolumbar area due to anatomical and biomechanical properties of this section. Better stabilization techniques were developed in accordance with improved imaging and implant technologies. Preoperative planning of implant corridors play a very important role in safe and stable implantation. The determination of safe implant corridors in veterinary neurosurgery is challenging because there are many varieties between species and breeds. Safe implant corridors of thoracal and lumbar vertebrae of dogs weighing 25kg and above were evaluated using computed tomography. Safe entry points, implant corridors and lengths were evaluated and compared with each other for individual differences. Implant corridors were determined considering important anatomical and surrounding visceral structures. The angle between the implant and the sagittal mid section, maximum implant length and the distance of implant entry and the mid-section were evaluated. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to determine if the dispersion of data was normal. According to this test's results the minimum safe angle values of T6, T8, T12 and T13 and the maximum safe angle of T6, T9 and T13 were compatible with each other (p<0,05). According to Pearson correlation test, a strong correlation was found between minimum and maximum angles of each vertebra and a positive correlation was found between minimum and maximum implant distances. The variations between breeds and individual anatomical differences it is quite difficult to standardize safe implantation corridors in veterinary medicine. The results of our study show that safe implant corridor values show differences even in dogs with similar body weights. Focusing future studies on cases that are of the same breed, race and age may yield more reliable and comprehensive results for safe implant corridors. Keywords: Vertebrae, Safe implant corridor, Dog, Stabilization