Histochemical Analysis of Herniated Disc Tissue
Surgically Removed from 27 Dogs
Germana Beha1*, Luciano Pisoni1,
Cristiano Bombardi1, Giuseppe Sarli1, Sara Del
Magno1, Louis DeTolla2, Giancarlo Avallone1,
Filippo Cinti3, Luciana Mandrioli1, Gualtiero
Gandini1, Armando Foglia1 and Cinzia Benazzi1
1Department
of Veterinary Medical Sciences – University of Bologna, Via Tolara
di Sopra, 50 40064 Ozzano Emilia (Bologna); 2Program of
Comparative Medicine and Department of Pathology, University of
Maryland, School of Medicine, 10 South Pine St., MSTF, Suite G-100,
Baltimore, MD (USA) 21201-1192; 3Centro Veterinario Luni
Mare, Ortonovo (SP), Italy;
*Corresponding author: germana.beha@gmail.com
Abstract
Hernias of intervertebral discs are a common
canine disease that is usually treated surgically. Recently, a histological
scoring system for surgically removed canine intervertebral herniated discs has
been developed by scoring the lesions of both the anulus fibrosus (AF) and the
nucleus pulposus (NP). Since the proportion of AF and NP in the surgical samples
may vary, depending on the surgical approach, the aim of this study is to grade
separately the lesions in AF and NP and to modify the previously described
scoring system adding three parameters: inflammation, mineralization and
neovascularization. Possible association of the modified grading system with
clinical parameters were statistically assessed. Herniated disc material was
collected from 27 dogs. AF was present in 10/27 cases and was classified as
grade 2 in 4 cases, grade 3 in 5 cases and grade 4 in 1 case. The NP was present
in all 27 cases and was classified as grade 2 in 1 case, grade 3 in 5 cases,
grade 4 in 9 cases and grade 5 in 12 cases. A statistically significant
association was evidenced between short pre-operative period and higher grade of
both the NP and of the AF (P<0.01). Separating the grades of the AF and NP can
be useful for a fair assessment of degeneration, and circumventing the
limitation of the qualitative and quantitative variability of samples.
Key words:
Clinical and neurological signs,
Disc herniation,
Dog,
Histology, Scoring system