Epidural anesthesia in dogs is a locoregional anesthesia technique used in veterinary medicine, becoming an important integrated application in the anesthetic protocol to provide safer and more effective analgesia to patients. For this, professionals must adhere to rigorous guidelines and possess technical skills. In this context, in veterinary education, the development of practical clinical skills represents a crucial aspect in the training of these professionals. However, traditional teaching methods have proven insufficient to ensure a consistent level of competence among recent graduates. The introduction of non-animal alternatives for educational purposes has contributed to the development of simulation-based teaching, an innovative and accessible field capable of enhancing pre-clinical proficiency in students and reducing the use of live animals and cadavers. Despite its application in various areas of veterinary education, there are no conclusive results regarding the development of accessible simulators capable of effectively enhancing training in epidural anesthesia in dogs. Therefore, this article represents a pioneering study aimed at sharing a method for creating SimuVet, a realistic simulator for training epidural anesthesia in dogs. The simulator was fully developed by veterinary researchers with limited experience in 3D printing and, after preliminary analysis, demonstrated excellent performance and ultrasonographic anatomy. Future work will focus on the formal validation of this simulator with the aim of improving the teaching and learning process for students and experts in performing epidural anesthesia in companion animals.
1 June 2023 in OBSERVATÓRIO DE LA ECONOMÍA LATINOAMERICANA
In order to reduce the psychological and aesthetic consequences caused by elective or therapeutic orchiectomy, we developed two types of testicular prostheses, which were produced using a 3D printer, with polylactic acid filament, and coated with cyanoacrylate or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). They were tested in Wistar rats, with orchiectomy performed on the left testicle and the prosthesis implanted inside the tunica vaginalis, in group 1 we implanted the prosthesis coated with cyanoacrylate and in group 2 with PMMA. The implants showed interesting features such as low cost, reduced production time, and ease of customization for the patient. Two rats in group 1 had monocular vaginalitis in the region of the tunica vaginalis implant and 3 (3/10, 30%) had fibrous dermatitis. In group 2, 5 rats (50%) had fibrous dermatitis, and none had alterations in the tunica vaginalis. We performed a logistic regression model, the results showed no significant association between the type of prosthesis and the presence of inflammation in the tunica vaginalis (p=0.08) or fibrous dermatitis (p=0.22). However, we suggest further studies with cyanoacrylate. PMMA proved to be an excellent option as a biomaterial for prosthesis. Fibrous dermatitis occurred due to the dermal healing process caused by the surgical incision.