Surgery Module Content
LAST Ireland Laboratory Animal Surgery Module
Prerequisites:
Candidates are expected to have available the Handbook of Laboratory Animal Management and Welfare (Wolfensohn & Lloyd; ideally 4th ed.) and to be familiar with chapters 9 & 10.
A series of videos and on- and offline digital resources (mainly videos) will be available to applicants.They will be expected to have studied these before taking the course .
Link to the resources: anaesthesia and the surgery modules
Format of course:
This will be a 1-day practical course of small-group teaching (attendance of approx. 12 participants is envisaged) split into a whole-group tutorial in the morning and small-group teaching in the afternoon. In the event of over-subscription, the module will be repeated on a second day.
The day will focus on preparing the attendees to perform good aseptic surgical technique on their own animal models, and finish with a practical session using fresh cadavers,
Timetable:
9.00am Registration
9.15am Preliminary Exam
9.45am Coffee Break
10.00am Exam Debrief and Morning Practical
Recap of Surgical Principles,
Principles of Anaesthesia and Asepsis Anaesthetic Equipment and Monitoring Equipment
Surgical Suite
Surgical Clothing
Surgical Equipment
Suture Materials
11.30am Maintenance of Asepsis ,Preparation of Theatre, Instrument Sterilization, Preparation of Animal, Preparation of Surgeon.
12.30pm Suturing – the Basics
1.00pm Lunch
2.00pm Gowning and scrubbing up
Incision and suture practice on dummy materials
3.00pm Preparation for abdominal surgery entry
Haemostasis and maintenance of asepsis
Ligature of a major vessel
Biopsy
Layered closure
Staples and subcuticular sutures Preparation for cranial surgery
Stereotaxic set-up
Haemostasis and maintenance of asepsis
Cranial incision
5.30pm Final Examination
6.00pm Course Finishes
Course Objectives
At the end of the course it is expected that participants will:
Understand the principles of aseptic surgery.
Be familiar with the surgical equipment commonly required for aseptic surgery.
Gain some familiarity with commonly used anaesthetic equipment and monitoring aids. Have the resources to plan an animal experiment involving surgery.
Be able to prepare an area, instruments, an animal and themselves for surgery.
Appreciate the need to gain good access to a surgical site by correct placement of incisions. Be able to perform some simple sutures involved in wound closure.
Be aware of the importance of good closure to ensure a stable wound which will not be self traumatised by the patient.
Note that it is not expected for participants to be instantly proficient in their surgical model; rather, this course is intended to provide the background basis on which to develop good surgical protocol. This should aid and speed up training in specific surgical procedures and enable participants to become better surgeons. Like all difficult physical skills, surgery requires practice under supervision by a skilled trainer before an acceptable level of competency can be acquired.