03811 - Surgical Veterinary Medicine

Learning outcomes

 

At the end of the module, the student will have acquired the fundamentals of general surgery and the operative techniques for the most commonly performed soft tissue surgical procedures in clinical practice. The student will be able to perform a simple surgical procedure as the primary surgeon

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course “SEMEIOTICA, PATOLOGIA CHIRURGICA, ANESTESIOLOGIA E MEDICINA OPERATORIA VETERINARIA (C.I.)”.

At the end of the integrated course, the student will be able to:

• Understand the etiopathogenetic and symptomatic basis of surgical diseases in both livestock and companion animals in order to develop an appropriate diagnostic protocol;

• Acquire basic anaesthesiological and surgical knowledge applicable across different species;

• Use appropriate terminology to communicate effectively with clients, colleagues, and relevant health authorities.

The Integrated Course “SEMEIOTICA, PATOLOGIA CHIRURGICA, ANESTESIOLOGIA E MEDICINA OPERATORIA VETERINARIA (C.I.)”. contributes to achieving the following ESEVT Day One Competences:

 

SPECIFIC CONTENT OF THE COURSE:
During the course, the student will acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills necessary for the management of a surgical procedure and the operating room environment. They will also gain specific knowledge required to perform basic surgical procedures and to use the main surgical instruments and devices.

The course in Operative Veterinary Medicine is structured into two modules.
Module 1 (General Part – 14 hours): This module focuses on general aspects of surgical patient management and preparation, aseptic techniques, surgeon preparation, surgical instruments, use of suturing materials and surgical devices, and techniques of dissection, excision, haemostasis, and tissue synthesis.
Module 2 (Specialist Part – 10 hours): This module aims to provide the necessary preparation to perform abdominal and thoracic cavity access and some of the most common surgical techniques.

 

MODULE 1 – General Part – Prof. Sara Del Magno

Theoretical lessons:

• Introduction to the course, overview of contents and assessment methods (1 h)

• Manual and instrumental animal restraint (1 h)

• Sterilisation and disinfection of surgical instruments and organisation of the operating room (1 h)

• Surgical instruments and devices (2 h)

• Preparation of the patient and the surgeon (1 h)

• Antibacterial prophylaxis in surgical patients (1 h)

• Techniques of dissection and excision (2 h)

• Haemostasis (1 h)

• Suture materials and manual and mechanical sutures (2 h)

• Drains and bandages (2 h)

Practical sessions:

• Restraint of various species and operating room management (checklist) (2 h)

• Preparation of the surgeon and surgical instruments (2 h)

• Execution of surgical knots and sutures on models (2 h)

MODULE 2 – Specialist Part – Prof. Sara Del Magno

Theoretical lessons:

• Treatment of skin wounds and principles of oncologic surgery (2 h)

• Abdominal surgery, celiotomy and laparotomy (2 h)

• Surgical techniques for the gastrointestinal tract (gastrotomy, enterotomy, and enterectomy) (2 h)

• Surgical techniques for the urinary tract (cystotomy and cystectomy) (2 h)

• Principles of thoracic surgery (2 h)

Practical sessions:

• Abdominal surgery videos and practical training (2 h)

• Thoracic surgery videos (2 h)

• Drains and skin surgery (2 h)

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials for this course are available on the Virtuale platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/ ).
Recommended further reading:

• Auer – Equine Surgery, 4th ed., Saunders, 2012

• Fubini & Ducharme – Large Animal Surgery, Lea & Febiger, 2006

• Tobias & Johnston – Veterinary Surgery: Small Animal, 2nd ed., Elsevier, 2018

• Kudnig & Séguin – Veterinary Surgical Oncology, 2nd ed., Wiley-Blackwell, 2022

• Mann, Constantinescu & Yoon – Fundamentals of Small Animal Surgery, John Wiley & Sons, 2011

• Fossum T.W. – Small Animal Surgery, 5th ed., Masson – EV, 2021 (Italian edition)

Teaching methods

The course consists of both theoretical lectures and practical exercises.

Theoretical Lectures
Lectures will be held in the classroom using PowerPoint presentations, images, and videos.
The general part follows the sequence of steps that precede, compose, and follow a surgical procedure, such as animal restraint, sterilisation and disinfection, surgical instruments, tissue dissection and excision, haemostasis, tissue synthesis, wound treatment, bandaging, and the use of drains in veterinary medicine.

The specialist part includes the description of the most common surgical procedures in the abdominal and thoracic cavities encountered in professional practice within the fields of general and oncologic surgery.

Practical Exercises
Practical sessions will be organised by dividing students into four groups, each assigned the same duration of training, generally resulting in groups of approximately 25 students.

The objective of the practical lessons is to familiarise students with the surgical environment, instruments, and materials, and to teach, through hands-on activities, the basic principles of surgical techniques—particularly surgical suturing.
Practical lessons also include instructional videos of surgical procedures and simulation exercises for basic surgical interventions.

Given the nature of the activities and the teaching methods used, attendance for this course requires the completion of Modules 1 and 2 in e-learning format, and successful completion of Module 3 on specific training in health and safety in study environments. Information on dates and participation procedures for Module 3 can be found in the dedicated section of the degree program website.

Wearing a lab coat and appropriate footwear is mandatory during practical and laboratory activities. The necessary PPE (e.g., disposable latex gloves) will be provided for each specific activity

Assessment methods

Assessment and Evaluation Methods

The assessment of the Integrated Course “SEMEIOTICA, PATOLOGIA CHIRURGICA, ANESTESIOLOGIA E MEDICINA OPERATORIA VETERINARIA (C.I.)”. consists of four components.
Specifically, for the Medicina Operatoria Veterinaria component, the assessment consists of two parts:

• Part One is an oral examination with two or three questions related to topics covered during lectures or practical sessions. This part lasts approximately 15–20 minutes and aims to assess the student’s understanding of the course content.
  The evaluation of the oral exam is based on the following grading scale:

  • Preparation on a very limited number of topics with analytical ability only emerging with assistance from the examiner; overall correct language use → 18–22

  • Preparation on a limited number of topics with autonomous analysis limited to purely procedural issues; correct language use → 23–26

  • Preparation on a broad range of topics with ability to make independent, critical choices and good command of specific terminology → 27–29

  • Thorough preparation on course topics, with strong ability to make independent and critical connections, full command of technical vocabulary, and ability to argue and self-reflect → 30–30 cum laude

  The result of the oral examination is communicated at the end of the session. The oral exam is considered passed with a minimum grade of 18/30.

• Part Two is a practical examination, held immediately after the oral part, during which the student is required to demonstrate practical skills such as tying surgical knots, performing sutures, identifying surgical instruments, and preparing for surgery. This part aims to assess the acquisition of specific practical and communication skills.
  The practical exam is considered passed with a minimum grade of 18/30.

The exam is considered passed only if all components are successfully completed. The final grade is the average of the marks obtained in the different parts of the exam and is expressed in thirtieths (out of 30). A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required to pass.

A failed exam does not result in a numerical grade, but only in a qualitative evaluation (“withdrawn” or “failed”) recorded in the electronic transcript through AlmaEsami, and therefore does not affect the student's academic record.

The results of each component and the final grade will be published on the instructor’s page on the Virtuale platform(https://virtuale.unibo.it/ ) within five working days from the date of the exam.
Students may refuse the grade up to two times by emailing the responsible examiner within five working days.

The responsible examiner for this course is Prof. Monika Joechler.

Students can register for exam sessions through AlmaEsami (http://almaesami.unibo.it/ ). Exams are scheduled according to the dates provided in the official academic calendar. Additional sessions are available for out-of-course students.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary/permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University’s support office in advance (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ). The office will propose any necessary adaptations, which must be submitted to the course instructor for approval at least 15 days in advance. The instructor will assess the feasibility of the adaptations in line with the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, videos, resources on the Veterinary Teaching Portal, models, and clinical materials such as photographs and videos of surgical procedures will be used during the course.

In case of difficulties in understanding the subject matter, the instructor is available to meet with students for clarification upon request by email appointment.

Office hours

See the website of Sara Del Magno