Comparative study of discolysis and disc fenestration in dogs

Postoperative clinical, histopathological and radiological findings were evaluated for disc fenestration, open discolysis (chymopapain) and percutan discolysis which had been performed on three groups of dogs, each group containing 6 healthy mongrels of different ages, sexes and breeds. The degrees of intervertebral space narrowing were classified as mild, medium and severe according to postoperative radiological examinations. Sections which were prepared from intervertebral areas which had been operated on, were investigated histopathologically, It was considered that discolysis might be cost effective on type-2 disc diseases, cases without advanced paralysis and cases requiring prophylactic disc fenestration, According to clinical examination results neurological disorders were not observed in the groups with disc fenestration or discolysis. Radiological and hisyopathological findings with respect to disc fenestration were more uniform than in the group which had undergone discolysis.