Computer-assisted navigation improves lumbar vertebral body drilling accuracy in dogs.

Computer-assisted navigation significantly reduces clinically relevant cortical breaches during canine lumbar vertebral body drilling compared to freehand technique.

This randomized cadaveric experimental study evaluated the accuracy of computer-assisted navigation (CAN) versus a freehand technique for bicortical lumbar vertebral body drilling in canine cadavers. Using nine canine lumbar spines, two surgeons performed a total of 108 drill trajectories (54 navigated, 54 freehand), assessed by four blinded veterinary surgeons using the modified Zdichavsky classification. Navigated drilling achieved optimal trajectory placement (Grade I) in 92.6% of cases compared with only 42.6% for the freehand technique (OR 16.85; P < .0001). Clinically relevant cortical breaches (Grade ≥ III) occurred in just 3.7% of navigated attempts versus 35.2% of freehand attempts, representing an 89% relative reduction (OR 0.071; P < .0001). Significant accuracy improvements with CAN were demonstrated in both small (<15 kg) and large (15–30 kg) dogs, suggesting broad applicability across body sizes. These findings are clinically important as inadvertent cortical breach during vertebral body drilling can risk damage to adjacent neurovascular structures. The authors conclude that CAN markedly enhances procedural safety during canine spinal surgery, particularly in patients where the vertebral body corridor is anatomically narrow and the tolerance for error is minimal. While the cadaveric model limits direct clinical translation, these results support further investigation of CAN integration into routine spinal surgical workflows in veterinary practice.

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