Case Report: Surgical management of a meningomyelocele in a cat

A 2. 5-year-old domestic shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of chronic progressive paraparesis and urinary incontinence characterized by leaking small amounts of urine and incomplete bladder emptying. General physical examination revealed a subcutaneous mass over the L4/L5 spinous process that was painful on palpation. Neurologic examination revealed non-ambulatory paraparesis with intact spinal reflexes, intact deep pain perception, and marked pelvic limb muscle atrophy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-circumscribed tract extending from the epidermis through a split L5 spinous process to the level of the dorsal meninges with associated dorsal deviation of the spinal cord. These findings were consistent with spina bifida at L5 and an associated meningomyelocele. A dorsal laminectomy was performed for surgical decompression and the diagnosis of meningomyelocele was confirmed via histopathology. Postoperatively, the cat remained non-ambulatory and incontinent but had improved comfort. To the author's knowledge, this is the first report of surgical management of a meningomyelocele in a non-ambulatory cat.