B8446 - Necropsy Technique and Methods in Pathology

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student knows the post-mortem examination of different animal species, including sampling techniques to achieve diagnosis, post-mortem report writing and biosecurity measures to be taken in the post-mortem room and in field autopsy.

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course "General Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Fundamentals of Special Pathology".

Upon completion of the Integrated Course "General Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Fundamentals of Special Pathology", students will have acquired a sound understanding of the fundamental principles of pathology, the microscopic and gross features of lesions, and the diagnostic and sampling techniques used in clinical pathology and necropsy that are relevant to veterinary medicine.

The Integrated Course "General Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Fundamentals of Special Pathology" contributes to the achievement of the following ESEVT Day One Competences:

• 1.10 Understand and apply principles of One Health to ensure veterinary Good Clinical Practice, and research-based and evidence-based veterinary medicine.
• 1.22 Collect, preserve and transport samples, select appropriate diagnostic tests, interpret and understand the limitations of the test results. The student correctly collects a sample for cytology and is able to differentiate main cytological patterns
• 1.25 Recognise signs of possible notifiable, reportable and zoonotic diseases as well as abuse of animals and take appropriate action, including notifying the relevant authorities.
• 1.29 Recommend and evaluate protocols for biosecurity, and apply these principles correctly
• 1.34 Perform necropsy in all common animal species, including sampling, dispatching and reporting.
• 1.35 Perform ante-mortem inspection of food-producing animals including paying attention to welfare aspects, systematic gross post-mortem examination, record observations, sample tissues, store and transport them.

SPECIFIC PREREQUISITES FOR THIS COURSE

To facilitate learning of the topics covered in this course, students are expected to have acquired specific knowledge in the following areas: veterinary anatomy, veterinary pathology, and infectious diseases.

COURSE CONTENT

Definition, objectives, and limitations of necropsy. Thanatology. (1 hour)

Necropsy instrumentation. Principles of biosafety in necropsy procedures and the relevant regulatory framework. Management of animal carcasses following necropsy and the applicable legislation (1 hour).

Complete necropsy of domestic animal species—dog, cat, horse, ruminants, and pig (2 hours of lectures and 4 hours of practical sessions), including:

 

• animal identification (signalment) and clinical history (anamnesis);
• completion of the animal submission form;
• preparation, external examination, skinning, and examination of the subcutaneous tissues;
• opening and examination of the abdominal cavity, thoracic cavity, pelvis, head and neck, nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses, vertebral canal, and bones;
• removal of the viscera and examination of individual organs;
• description and pathological interpretation of lesions, and formulation of the pathological summary (epicrisis);
• preparation of the necropsy report and the diagnostic workflow

Ancillary laboratory investigations. Techniques for the collection, sampling, preservation, and submission of tissues and biological specimens for histological, cytological, bacteriological, and toxicological examinations (1 hour of lecture and 1 hour of practical session).

Readings/Bibliography

Teaching material will be available on the course website on virtuale.unibo.it

Suggested reading:

• J.King. The necropsy book. 7th. CL Davis Foundation. Ed. https://ecommons.cornell.edu/handle/1813/3794

Teaching methods

Lectures will be delivered with supporting ppt presentations and7or videos.

Practical classes: during these sessions the students will perform post-mortem examinations either individually or in small groups. use of PPE is compulsory.

Assessment methods

The assessment for the Integrated Course “General Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Fundamentals of Special Pathology” consists of a written examination and a practical examination.

The written examination consists of 30 questions covering all topics included in the component courses of the Integrated Course, with the exception of B8446 – Necropsy Technique and Methods in Pathology, which is assessed through a practical examination designed to evaluate the achievement of the expected learning outcomes.

The written examination includes:

• 20 multiple-choice questions;
• 10 short-answer questions.

One question includes one or two macroscopic or microscopic images similar to those presented during lectures and practical sessions.

Each correct answer is worth 1 point. Incorrect or unanswered questions receive 0 points.

No supplementary materials or electronic devices (e.g., calculators, tablets, smartwatches, or computers) may be used during the examination unless explicitly authorized by the instructor.

The results of the written examination will be published within 5 working days on the Virtuale Learning Environment (https://virtuale.unibo.it/?lang=en ) by the course coordinator. A minimum score of 60% is required to pass the written examination.

The practical examination (B8446 – Necropsy Technique and Methods in Pathology) requires students to perform a complete necropsy or part of a necropsy. Students are expected to:

• use the appropriate instruments and personal protective equipment (PPE);
• examine individual organs and organ systems;
• collect appropriate samples;
• formulate a diagnosis;
• prepare a post-mortem report.

At the end of the practical examination, students will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• Failure to demonstrate core procedural competencies, inability to interpret pathological findings, and/or incorrect use of technical terminology. FAIL
• Basic procedural skills; appropriate interpretation of lesions leading to a logical conclusion; minor inconsistencies; appropriate use of technical terminology: 3 points
• Confident manual skills; correct and independent interpretation of lesions; critical analysis of findings; appropriate use of technical terminology: 4 points
• Proficiency in all core manual skills; correct and independent interpretation of lesions; critical analysis of findings; problem-solving ability; appropriate use of technical terminology: 5 points
• Excellent proficiency in all manual skills; correct interpretation of lesions; critical analysis of findings; independent judgment; problem-solving ability; appropriate use of technical terminology; and confident communication skills (6 points)

The examination is considered passed only if both the written and practical examinations are successfully completed.

The final grade is expressed on a 30-point scale, with a minimum passing grade of 18/30. The written and practical examination scores are weighted according to the number of ECTS credits (CFU) assigned to the respective components of the Integrated Course.

Unsuccessful examinations are not assigned a numerical grade but are recorded in AlmaEsami as "Withdrawn" or "Failed", in accordance with University regulations, and do not affect the student's academic record.

The grades for the individual examination components and the final grade will be published on the AlmaEsami platform (https://almaesami.unibo.it/?lang=en ) within 5 working days of the examination date.

Students may reject the final grade ... time(s) (according to University Regulations, at least once) by notifying the course coordinator via email within 5 working days of grade publication.

The course coordinator is Giancarlo Avallone.

Students must register for examinations through the AlmaEsami platform (http://almaesami.unibo.it/ ). Examination sessions are scheduled during the periods established in the Academic Calendar. Additional examination sessions are available for students who have exceeded the standard duration of the degree programme.

Students with specific learning disorders (SLD) and/or temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University's dedicated support service (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as early as possible to request appropriate accommodations. Requests for examination accommodations must be submitted to the course instructor at least 15 days before the examination date. The instructor will evaluate the requested accommodations in accordance with the learning outcomes of the course.

 

Teaching tools

Lecture files for the theory.

Fully equipped Post-mortem room for the practical classes.

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Bacci