KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Zoo Knoxville chimpanzee is recovering after a historic spinal surgery to remove a tumor.

Workers with Zoo Knoxville said this operation is believed to be the first documented procedure of its kind performed on a chimpanzee.

Workers said the surgery was a collaboration between a veterinary neurologist, Dr. Talisha Moore, and a human neurologist, Dr. James A. Killeffer, and it was performed at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine on Sept. 19.

“This was an incredibly rare case,” Dr. Moore said. “Chimps are far more like humans than they are like dogs or cats, so we knew we needed a unique surgical approach. Partnering with Dr. Killeffer allowed us to combine expertise from both veterinary and human medicine to give Lu the best chance at recover

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