Ultrasound-Guided Treatment of Cervical Nerve Radiculopathy

The ventral branches of the caudal cervical nerve roots and first thoracic nerves form the brachial plexus, which then innervates the forelimb. Therefore, compression of these nerves can lead to forelimb lameness. Equine radiculopathy was usually a diagnosis of exclusion in patients with neck pain and forelimb lameness. Recently, nerve impingement has been diagnosed by combining the use of large bore computer tomography with myelography. It has been demonstrated that impingement and compression of the spinal cord, detected using CT myelography, can be as high as 85% of the horses with neck pain and stiffness, poor performance, forelimb lameness, and/or neurological deficits. In other species, cervical radiculopathy has been successfully treated with perineural corticosteroid injections. Even though larger clinical studies are needed to fully recommend this treatment in horses, anecdotal reports are promising. Significant improvement or complete resolution of clinical cases of cervical radiculopathy has been reported when treated with US-guided techniques.