Search Results (27)

The erector spinae plane (ESP) block is a widely used technique for perioperative analgesia. It involves the infiltration of anesthetics into the interfacial plane between the erector spinae muscle and the transverse processes of the vertebrae. In veterinary medicine, this technique has been adapted for different species, but there are no cadaveric studies in cats. This study describes the ultrasound-guided lumbar ESP-block technique and evaluates the spread of two volumes of dye in feline cadavers. Injections were performed at the second lumbar vertebra (L2) level using 0.6 mL/kg (high volume [HV]) and 0.4 mL/kg (low volume [LV]) of methylene blue bilaterally. After anatomical dissection, the distribution of the dye, the staining of the spinal nerve branches, and the presence of dye in the epidural space were recorded. The results demonstrated that the HV treatment provided wider longitudinal distribution, staining the dorsal branch of the spinal nerves in an average of five segments per injection, without extravasation into the epidural space. It is concluded that the HV treatment promotes efficient multisegmental spread in feline cadavers. Full article

New ornithopod remains have recently been discovered at the Vadillos-1 paleontological site, in Cuenca Province, Central Spain. These remains were collected in sandy and clayey deposits within “Wealden” alluvial facies, which correspond to an upper Barremian (Lower Cretaceous) alluvial-palustrine muddy floodplain paleoenvironment. The remains correspond to a part of a sacrum, including three fused sacral vertebral centra with sacral ribs and part of the sacral yoke, together with an isolated unfused sacral vertebra. An incomplete ischium has also been identified, likely belonging to the same individual. The sacral block exhibits a broad sulcus that begins at the most anterior sacral vertebra, continues through the middle vertebra, and ends in the area where the middle and the most posterior vertebrae are fused. The non fused sacral vertebra also displays a ventral sulcus. The incomplete ischium has a curved shaft with a triangular cross section towards the distal end. The combination of the morphological features of the sacrum and ischium allow its attribution to Iguanodon cf. bernissartensis. This species is identified in the area for the first time, adding new valuable data about the dinosaur assemblages from the Lower Cretaceous of Spain. Full article

Celiac plexus (CP) block (CPB) and neurolysis (CPN) are interventional techniques employed in human analgesia to control visceral pain originating from the upper abdomen. Visceral pain is common in animals and its treatment is challenging. A percutaneous ultrasound (US)-guided approach to the CP has been reported in people but not in veterinary species. The objective of this study is to describe a US-guided percutaneous approach to the CP in a porcine cadaveric model. Cadavers were positioned in right lateral recumbency. The vertebral body of the last thoracic vertebra (T15) was identified (in transverse view) with a left cranial abdominal US scan. Under US guidance, an 18 G Tuohy needle was inserted parallel and ventral to the transverse process of T15. The transducer was gently slid and tilted to have an in-plane view while introducing the needle through the epaxial muscle layer. Once the T15 body was contacted, the needle was advanced towards the ventral surface of the vertebra, and if loss of resistance was present, 2 mL of dye (China Ink) was injected. A laparotomy was performed, and the dyed tissue dissected for histological preparation from 14 cadavers. In all samples submitted for histological study, tissue belonging to the CP was found. The percutaneous ultrasound-guided approach to the CP was effective in localizing the CP in all subjects. Future studies are warranted to identify the clinical utility of this technique in veterinary species. Full article

The ultrasound-guided cervical plexus plane (US-CPP) block has proven effective in humans; yet its application in dogs remains unexplored. This study aimed to describe a novel US-CPP approach in canines. A local sonoanatomy was mapped, the injection technique was tested, and a gross anatomical dissection (GAD) was performed on one cadaver. The bilateral injectate spread and nerve staining were then evaluated via a CT scan and GAD in the six cadavers. The transducer was aligned parallel to the cervical spine, caudal to the atlas. After identifying the cleidocervical and omotransversarius muscles and the C2-C3 interfascial plane, a spinal needle was inserted in-plane, and 0.15 mL/kg of a dye-contrast solution was injected. CT imaging showed the contrast reaching the C1, C2, and C3 vertebral bodies in 3 out of 12 (3/12), 11/12, and 12/12 injections, respectively, and the C4, C5, and C6 vertebrae in 8/12, 5/12, and 1/12 injections, respectively. No contrast was detected in the epidural space. The C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5 nerves were stained in 3/12, 10/12, 8/12, 2/12, and 0/12 injections, respectively. No significant differences were observed between the groups (p > 0.05). A single US-CPP injection successfully stained the C2 and C3 nerves, indicating the potential clinical applicability, although the injected volume rarely reached C4 and C5. Full article

Grape pomace is a winery byproduct that is rich in polyphenols with antioxidant capacity. This study investigated the effect of 0, 5, and 10% inclusion of dehydrated grape pomace (DGP) in finishing pig diets on the growth performance, carcass traits, fatty acid profile, fresh meat quality, and fat stability of a local pig genotype. A total of 36 pigs, 18 barrows, and 18 gilts (83.23 ± 6.03 kg and 132.1 ± 5.6 days old) were allotted in a randomized block design considering the initial weight (block) within sex, with six replicates of each sex per treatment. Including DGP in the diets did not affect daily weight gain or the feed-to-gain ratio; however, daily feed intake increased linearly (p < 0.05) and backfat thickness at the last rib, backfat thickness at the first sacral vertebrae, P2 backfat thickness, fat area, and the percentage of lean meat decreased linearly (p < 0.05) in pigs. The inclusion of DGP in pig diets did not affect the antioxidant potential evaluated by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in mini hamburgers or the quality characteristics of fresh meat, except for intramuscular fat (EE). The dietary inclusion of DGP linearly increased (p < 0.05) EE, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and Σω-3 and reduced the ω-6:ω-3 ratio in a linear way (p < 0.05) in the loin of pigs. We concluded that it is feasible to include up to 10% of DGP in pig diets without affecting growth performance, but carcass quality may be impaired due to increased adiposity. Furthermore, meat quality can be improved by increasing intramuscular fat and ω-3 fatty acid content, but fat stability is not affected when DGP is included at up to 10% of the diet for 49 days prior to slaughter. Full article

The accurate and efficient segmentation of the spine is important in the diagnosis and treatment of spine malfunctions and fractures. However, it is still challenging because of large inter-vertebra variations in shape and cross-image localization of the spine. In previous methods, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely applied as a vision backbone to tackle this task. However, these methods are challenged in utilizing the global contextual information across the whole image for accurate spine segmentation because of the inherent locality of the convolution operation. Compared with CNNs, the Vision Transformer (ViT) has been proposed as another vision backbone with a high capacity to capture global contextual information. However, when the ViT is employed for spine segmentation, it treats all input tokens equally, including vertebrae-related tokens and non-vertebrae-related tokens. Additionally, it lacks the capability to locate regions of interest, thus lowering the accuracy of spine segmentation. To address this limitation, we propose a novel Vertebrae-aware Vision Transformer (VerFormer) for automatic spine segmentation from CT images. Our VerFormer is designed by incorporating a novel Vertebrae-aware Global (VG) block into the ViT backbone. In the VG block, the vertebrae-related global contextual information is extracted by a Vertebrae-aware Global Query (VGQ) module. Then, this information is incorporated into query tokens to highlight vertebrae-related tokens in the multi-head self-attention module. Thus, this VG block can leverage global contextual information to effectively and efficiently locate spines across the whole input, thus improving the segmentation accuracy of VerFormer. Driven by this design, the VerFormer demonstrates a solid capacity to capture more discriminative dependencies and vertebrae-related context in automatic spine segmentation. The experimental results on two spine CT segmentation tasks demonstrate the effectiveness of our VG block and the superiority of our VerFormer in spine segmentation. Compared with other popular CNN- or ViT-based segmentation models, our VerFormer shows superior segmentation accuracy and generalization. Full article

Celiac plexus block (CPB) and neurolysis (CPN) are used for pain management in people suffering from abdominal tumours or chronic pancreatitis. The fluoroscopically guided approach common in human medicine has not been described in veterinary settings. The aim of this study was to describe a fluoroscopic approach to the celiac plexus (CP) in fresh pig cadavers. Twelve animals were included in the procedure. Cadavers were positioned in sternal position and, under fluoroscopic guidance, a Chiba needle was inserted parasagittal at 6 cm from the spinal midline at the level of the last thoracic vertebra. From the left side, the needle was directed medio-ventrally with a 45° angle towards the T15 vertebral body; once the vertebral body was contacted, the needle was advanced 1 cm ventrally towards the midline. Iodinated contrast was injected to confirm the location. Following this, 2 mL of dye (China ink) was injected. A laparotomy was performed, and dyed tissue was dissected and prepared for both histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. In 10 out of 12 samples submitted for histological evaluation, nervous tissue belonging to CP was observed. Fluoroscopy guidance allows for feasible access to the CP in swine cadavers in this study. Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy of this technique in swine and other veterinary species. Full article

The quadratus lumborum (QL) block is an ultrasound-guided locoregional anesthesia technique which aims to provide analgesia to the abdomen. The main objective of this study was to assess a modified ultrasound-guided dorsal QL block in cat cadavers. For this purpose, a volume of 0.4 mL kg⁻¹ of a mixture of iopromide and methylene blue was administered between the psoas minor muscle and the vertebral body (VB) of the first lumbar vertebra, and its distribution was assessed in thirteen cat cadavers. We hypothesized that this injection point would be feasible, offering a more cranial distribution of the injectate and a more consistent staining of the truncus sympathicus. The study was divided into two phases. Phase 1 consisted of an anatomical study (three cadavers were dissected). Phase 2 consisted of the ultrasound-guided administration of the injectate and the assessment of its distribution by computed tomography and anatomical dissection. The results showed a consistent distribution of contrast media within five (4–8) VBs from T10 to L5. Methylene blue stained three (2–6) rami ventrales, affecting T11 (10%), T12 (20%), T13 (60%), L1 (85%), L2 (95%) and L3 (65%). The truncus sympathicus was dyed in all cadavers with a spread of five (3–7) VBs. Finally, the splanchnicus major nerve was stained in all cadavers (100%). These results suggest that this technique could provide analgesia to the abdominal viscera and the abdominal wall, probably with the exception of the cranial aspects of the abdominal wall. Full article

The Cobb angle (CA) serves as the principal method for assessing spinal deformity, but manual measurements of the CA are time-consuming and susceptible to inter- and intra-observer variability. While learning-based methods, such as SpineHRNet+, have demonstrated potential in automating CA measurement, their accuracy can be influenced by the severity of spinal deformity, image quality, relative position of rib and vertebrae, etc. Our aim is to create a reliable learning-based approach that provides consistent and highly accurate measurements of the CA from posteroanterior (PA) X-rays, surpassing the state-of-the-art method. To accomplish this, we introduce SpineHRformer, which identifies anatomical landmarks, including the vertices of endplates from the 7th cervical vertebra (C7) to the 5th lumbar vertebra (L5) and the end vertebrae with different output heads, enabling the calculation of CAs. Within our SpineHRformer, a backbone HRNet first extracts multi-scale features from the input X-ray, while transformer blocks extract local and global features from the HRNet outputs. Subsequently, an output head to generate heatmaps of the endplate landmarks or end vertebra landmarks facilitates the computation of CAs. We used a dataset of 1934 PA X-rays with diverse degrees of spinal deformity and image quality, following an 8:2 ratio to train and test the model. The experimental results indicate that SpineHRformer outperforms SpineHRNet+ in landmark detection (Mean Euclidean Distance: 2.47 pixels vs. 2.74 pixels), CA prediction (Pearson correlation coefficient: 0.86 vs. 0.83), and severity grading (sensitivity: normal-mild; 0.93 vs. 0.74, moderate; 0.74 vs. 0.77, severe; 0.74 vs. 0.7). Our approach demonstrates greater robustness and accuracy compared to SpineHRNet+, offering substantial potential for improving the efficiency and reliability of CA measurements in clinical settings. Full article

Background and Objectives: Schmorl’s nodes (SNs), formed by the herniation of intervertebral discs into adjacent vertebral bodies, are generally asymptomatic and do not require treatment. However, certain types of SNs can cause intractable back pain. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old man presented to our hospital with back pain after a fall 1 month prior. Physical examination revealed back pain that worsened with movement and paraspinal tenderness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed immediately after presentation revealed subacute to chronic compression fractures with SNs at the upper endplates of the 11th and 12th thoracic and 1st lumbar vertebrae. Pain (numeric rating scale (NRS), 7–8/10) persisted despite 6 months of conservative treatment and MRI revealed increased signal intensity in T2-weighted images in the regions around the SNs. Based on these findings, an epidural nerve block was performed, and then repeated; however, no significant improvement was observed. Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) was performed at the 11th and 12th thoracic and 1st lumbar vertebrae. Pain levels decreased substantially 1 week after PVP (NRS, 3–4/10). Subsequent treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids for two weeks further reduced pain levels (NRS, 1–2/10), following which steroid use was discontinued and NSAID use became intermittent. At the six-month follow-up, pain levels remained low and the patient reported an improvement in activity levels of 90% or more. Conclusions: This case report demonstrates that PVP safely and effectively improved symptoms in a patient with multiple SNs and intractable back pain. Nevertheless, further research, particularly large-scale randomized prospective studies, is necessary to validate the long-term efficacy and safety of this intervention. Full article

The retrolaminar block was developed in humans as an easier and safer alternative to the thoracic paravertebral block. This study aims to describe an ultrasound-guided thoracolumbar retrolaminar injection in canine cadavers and compare the injectate distribution between a landmark-guided and an ultrasound-guided thoracolumbar retrolaminar technique using computed tomography. Ten canine cadavers were randomised to receive two injections each of 0.6 mL/kg of iodinated contrast at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12): a landmark-guided retrolaminar injection was performed on one hemithorax (group B, n = 10) and an ultrasound-guided on the other hemithorax (group U, n = 10). Groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. The median (range) spread of the contrast in the paravertebral space was 0 (0–3) and 1 (0–5) vertebrae in groups B and U, respectively (p = 0.038). The median (range) extent of the spread surrounding the interverbal foramina was 4 (0–5) in group B and 4 (3–5) in group U. The median (range) spread along the retrolaminar space cranial and caudal to T12 was 3 (0–6) retrolaminar segments in group B and 3 (3–4) in group U. The potential of the ultrasound-guided retrolaminar injection to provide analgesia for dogs suffering from thoracolumbar pain should be further investigated. Full article

The retrolaminar block is a regional anaesthetic technique, first developed in humans, in which the local anaesthetic is deposited directly onto the dorsal aspect of the thoracic or lumbar vertebral lamina. This study aims to evaluate the distribution of landmark-guided thoracolumbar retrolaminar injections in greyhound cadavers. Thirteen injections of contrast-dye solution were performed in eight cadavers at the level of the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12), with either 20 mL (n = 8, high volume, HV) or 10 mL (n = 5, low volume, LV) per site. The spread of the injectate was evaluated through computed tomography and transverse anatomical dissection. The groups were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test. The median (range) of the extent of the spread was 4 (2–5) and 3 (2–4) intervertebral foramina in the LV and HV groups, respectively. The median (range) of the spread along the retrolaminar space was 3 (2–3) retrolaminar segments in the LV and 3 (2–4) in the HV group. Epidural and retroperitoneal spread was identified in seven cadavers. Following landmark-guided retrolaminar injections, the injectate spread both in the retrolaminar and paravertebral spaces, without any obvious association between the volume of injectate and the extent of the spread. Further studies are warranted to determine the clinical efficacy of the technique. Full article

Spine image analysis is based on the accurate segmentation and vertebrae recognition of the spine. Several deep learning models have been proposed for spine segmentation and vertebrae recognition, but they are very computationally demanding. In this research, a novel deep learning model is introduced for spine segmentation and vertebrae recognition using CT images. The proposed model works in two steps: (1) A cascaded hierarchical atrous spatial pyramid pooling residual attention U-Net (CHASPPRAU-Net), which is a modified version of U-Net, is used for the segmentation of the spine. Cascaded spatial pyramid pooling layers, along with residual blocks, are used for feature extraction, while the attention module is used for focusing on regions of interest. (2) A 3D mobile residual U-Net (MRU-Net) is used for vertebrae recognition. MobileNetv2 includes residual and attention modules to accurately extract features from the axial, sagittal, and coronal views of 3D spine images. The features from these three views are concatenated to form a 3D feature map. After that, a 3D deep learning model is used for vertebrae recognition. The VerSe 20 and VerSe 19 datasets were used to validate the proposed model. The model achieved more accurate results in spine segmentation and vertebrae recognition than the state-of-the-art methods. Full article

As tails are often docked within the first days of life, studies investigating tail malformations and injuries in sheep do not exist thus far. To address this gap in the literature, this research aimed to analyse the occurrence of vertebral anomalies and fractures in the tail within an undocked Merinoland sheep population. At 14 weeks of age, the caudal spines of 216 undocked Merinoland lambs was radiographically examined, and tail length and circumference were measured. Anomalies were documented and statistical correlation and model calculations were performed. The occurrence of block vertebrae was observed in 12.96% and wedged vertebrae in 8.33% of the sample. Of the animals, 59 (27.31%) exhibited at least one vertebral fracture, which were observed in the middle and caudal third of the tail. A significant correlation was found between the occurrence of fractures and tail length (r = 0.168) and number of vertebrae (r = 0.155). Conversely, the presence of block and wedged vertebrae was not significantly correlated with tail length, circumference, or number of vertebrae. Only the sex showed significant differences in the probability of axis deviation. These results emphasize the importance of breeding for short tails to avoid fractures. Full article

The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra (T5) is a novel technique, first published in 2016, which was found to be effective in both acute and chronic pain control. The mechanism of action and spread of local anesthetic of the ESPB at the lumbar region are thought to differ from those of the thoracic ESPB; however, the difference in onset time has never been evaluated. As for the onset of lumbar ESPBs, we presented three cases: two received lumbar ESPBs (one with chronic low back pain and one with acute postoperative hip pain), and the third one with chronic back pain received a thoracic ESPB. We administered 30 mL of 0.3% ropivacaine in all three patients, but the analgesic effect did not reach its maximum until 3 and 1.5 h, respectively, in the lumbar ESPB cases. On the contrary, the thoracic ESPB case experienced noticeable pain relief within 30 min. The onset time was considerably longer than that reported in earlier reports on ESPBs, and the lumbar ESPB achieved its peak effect much later than the thoracic ESPB using the same formula of local anesthetic. While the delayed-onset lumbar ESPB may have some drawbacks for treating acute postoperative pain, it still could produce significant analgesia, once it took effect, when given to patients suffering from hip surgery with large incisions and intractable low back pain. The current data suggested that the onset time of a lumbar ESPB may be delayed compared with its thoracic counterpart. Therefore, the local anesthetic formula and injection timing should be adjusted for a lumbar ESPB when applied in the perioperative period to make the onset of the analgesic effect coincide with the immediate postoperative pain. Without this concept in mind, clinicians may consider a lumbar ESPB to be ineffective before it takes effect, and consequently treat the patients inadequately with this technique. Future randomized controlled trials should be designed according to our observations to compare lumbar ESPB with its thoracic counterpart regarding onset time. Full article