Vertebral fracture and dislocation patterns, location of injuries, and 6-month clinical outcomes in cats: A retrospective study

Abstract

This study investigates the vertebral fracture and dislocation patterns, spinal cord segment injury location, paretic grading, and the 6-month outcome in cats at a university veterinary hospital. The medical records and radiographs of cats with traumatic injuries were reviewed from October 2016 to December 2019. Eighty-nine cats were diagnosed with vertebral fracture and dislocation. The most damaged location was T3–L3 (36/89, 40.45%), followed by L4–L7 (33/89, 37.07%), S1–S3 (18/89, 20.22), C1–C5 (1/89, 1.12%), and C6–T2 (1/89, 1.12%). The patterns of vertebral damage could be classified as burst/compression (24/89, 26.96%), subluxation (19/89, 21.35%), complete luxation (16/89, 17.97%), combined fracture, and luxation (19/89, 21.35%), transverse fracture (10/69, 11.23%), and hyperextension (1/89, 1.12%). No hyperflexion-damaged pattern was detected in 89 cats. The T3–L7 lesion data was thoroughly examined (69 cats). Most of them preferred non-surgical treatment (33/69, 47.83%). Only 30 cats in the non-surgical group and 4 cats in the surgical group had tracking information. Six months after treatment, 60% of cats in the non-surgical group had better outcomes (18/30), while 66.67% of cats in the surgical group had better outcomes (4/6). Two cats in the surgical group had died of parvovirus infection. The mortality rate increased from 16.67% (6/36) at 3 months to 25% (9/36) at 6 months after treatment. All cats with paretic grade 5 had a poor prognosis. Most cats with paretic grades 1–4 receiving treatment had better clinical outcomes within 6 months and gradually improved. Follow-up should be performed for >6 months.

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“…Vertebral dislocation occurs when the vertebral body is displaced from its normal cranial/caudal synovial joint with adjacent vertebrae. Vertebral subluxation occurs when there is partial displacement of a vertebra from its normal cranial/caudal synovial junction with adjacent vertebrae (Saengthong et al, 2022). Schmidli et al (2019) declared that isolated vertebral dislocations (without bone fracture) occur in any part of the spine.…”

Pathogenesis and pathomorphology of distraction trauma in the framework of pre-trial investigations of cruelty to animals

“…Vertebral dislocation occurs when the vertebral body is displaced from its normal cranial/caudal synovial joint with adjacent vertebrae. Vertebral subluxation occurs when there is partial displacement of a vertebra from its normal cranial/caudal synovial junction with adjacent vertebrae (Saengthong et al, 2022). Schmidli et al (2019) declared that isolated vertebral dislocations (without bone fracture) occur in any part of the spine.…”