Spinal Screws and Rods Show Promise in Treating Fractured Cat Backs

A surgical technique borrowed from human spine medicine and more recently adapted for dogs has now been shown to be technically feasible in cats, according to a small case series from Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The study, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, describes the use of bilateral pedicle screw and rod fixation (PSRF) in three cats that suffered traumatic fractures and luxations of the caudal lumbar spine, the region near the base of the back where the spinal cord and cauda equina are particularly vulnerable to injury. The approach is a standard of care for spinal stabilization in human patients and has more recently been adopted in canine patients.

Until this report, however, bilateral PSRF at the caudal lumbar and lumbosacral regions of cats had not been described in the veterinary literature, leaving surgeons without a documented reference for this species. The retrospective analysis covered three cats treated between 2016 and 2018. All were presented with traumatic thoracolumbar fractures and luxations and had no comorbidities.

Each animal underwent a neurological examination, pre-operative radiographs and a pre-operative CT scan, and the surgical goal in every case was to decompress and stabilize the spinal cord and cauda equina. The cats were examined by a veterinary surgeon or surgery resident before surgery, immediately after the operation, and again at follow-up appointments; two of the three returned at two to three weeks post-operatively, and all three were assessed at six to seven weeks, when post-operative radiographs were also taken. The outcomes varied with the severity of each injury.

The first cat arrived with a comminuted fracture and luxation of the sixth lumbar vertebra, classified as neurological grade III on the modified Griffith Sharp-Wheeler scale, and improved to grade 0, a normal neurological status, after surgery. The second cat had a comminuted fracture of the caudal vertebral body of the seventh lumbar vertebra with minor dorsal dislocation, and moved from grade IV before surgery to grade III afterwards. The third cat presented with a complete luxation between the fifth and sixth lumbar vertebrae, accompanied by multiple fractures and displaced fracture fragments, and was graded V, the most severe category; this cat showed no improvement following surgery.

The authors emphasize that the key finding is feasibility: the PSRF system could be placed in the vertebrae of all three cats, demonstrating that the hardware and the surgical approach are anatomically workable in feline patients. The report comes with clear limitations inherent to its design. A case series of three animals cannot establish how effective PSRF is compared with other stabilization techniques, nor can it predict outcomes for the broader population of cats with spinal trauma.

The neurological grades were compared before and after surgery within each individual, and the authors note that the potential of the PSRF system in cats warrants further exploration. Even so, the study provides the first documented use of bilateral pedicle screw and rod fixation in the caudal lumbar and lumbosacral spine of cats, giving veterinary neurologists and surgeons a concrete starting point for treating some of the most serious spinal injuries seen in feline trauma patients.

Subject of Research: Pedicle screw and rod fixation for caudal lumbar vertebral fracture and luxation in cats

Article Title: Pedicle screw and rod fixation in three cats with caudal lumbar vertebral fracture and luxation: a case report

Article References: Aartsen, S. A. M., van Stee, L. L., & Meij, B. P. (2026). Pedicle screw and rod fixation in three cats with caudal lumbar vertebral fracture and luxation: a case report. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 13, Article 1778936. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2026.1778936

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2026.1778936

Keywords: veterinary neurology, pedicle screw fixation, spinal stabilization, cats, lumbar fracture, vertebral luxation, case series, cauda equina, spinal trauma, orthopedic surgery, Pedicle, screw