A critical appraisal of the literature exploring the surgical treatment of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in dogs

Objective: To critically appraise the literature exploring the surgical treatment of degenerative lumbosacral stenosis in dogs. Background: Several surgical procedures to treat degenerative lumbosacral stenosis (DLSS) in the dog have been reported, however, definitive criteria for surgical technique preference are currently lacking (1). Evidentiary value and methods: A critical appraisal tool that examined the conduct and reporting of studies on the results of surgical treatment of DLSS was designed and, after a systematic search and screening of the literature, a critical appraisal was performed in 20 papers. Results: Results showed that 18/20 studies included did not clearly report inclusion and exclusion criteria and in 14/20 it was unclear whether consecutive inclusion of participants was applied. 19/20 studies reported age, breed, and sex of the participants, and 13/20 did not report duration and prevalence of clinical signs. In 13/20 studies, it was considered that the condition was not measured in a standard and reliable way. Objective outcome measures were used in 7/20 studies. Conclusion and application: The results demonstrate that there is room for improvement in the conduct and reporting quality of case series so that rigorous data can be generated and analysed, to inform research design, guide clinical practice, and improve veterinary healthcare delivery.