Interbody Fusion for the Treatment of Cervical Stenotic Myelopathy in the Horse

Cervical vertebral stenotic myelopathy (CSM) occurs as either a static or dynamic form in young horses and described as a multifactorial disease when stenosis is observed in older
horses it is primarily due to osteoarthritis of the articular process joints. Neurologic examination reveals upper motorneuron signs and general proprioceptive deficits. Symmetric ataxia, paresis, dysmetria, and spasticity will be present in all four limbs, usually more noticeable in the pelvic limbs. Clinical signs are characterized by ataxia and weakness, caused by narrowing of the cervical vertebral canal in combination with malformation of the cervical vertebrae, which results in compression of the spinal cord and subsequent neurologic disease. CSM is most frequently seen in young, well-fed, rapidly-growing horses. A review of 252 cases examined by me the most common age at onset of clinical signs was 15 months, with a range between 3 months and 1 year of age. […]