This general level course is suitable for you if you work in practice and wish to develop your confidence and skills in small animal orthopaedic surgery. The four 2-day attendance sessions have major emphasis on 'hands-on' wetlab practical surgery. Attending the whole course will provide you with an excellent grounding in orthopaedic surgery, together with the confidence and skills to tackle procedures safely and effectively in practice. If you prefer to develop one particular area, such as joint surgery or using external fixators for fracture repair, you can book on to one or more individual modules in your chosen areas. You will learn key areas of theory in seminars and interactive sessions, and apply this in the extensive practical sessions with
guidance and support from approachable and friendly Specialist tutors. Your new and improved diagnostic, decision-making and surgical skills can be translated directly to your practice situation to offer a more complete orthopaedic service to your patients.
Course Tutors
Andrew Coughlan BVSc PhD CertVA DSAS (Orth) FRCVS,
Northwest Surgeons, Frodsham, Cheshire
David Bennett BSc BVetMed ILTM PhD DSAO MRCVS,
University of Glasgow
Steven Butterworth MA VetMB CertVR DSAO MRCVS,
Weighbridge Referrals, Swansea
Venue Ellesmere Port and Liverpool
Module 1: Using Bone Plates and Screws Effectively
Date: 16th - 17th May 2008
This two day session provides you with the essential theory for decision-making in your fracture patients. As well as being confident in application techniques, you need to be able to decide which technique is the most appropriate in each fracture scenario. Planning sessions with case studies will help you to develop this skill, which you will build on in the extensive hands-on practical sessions on the second day.
Specific areas to be covered include:
•Fracture healing • Fracture Planning • Instrumentation • Using lag screws • How to apply plates and screws in different scenarios •
A full day of practical wet labs will help you develop key skills as you practise using plating kits, inserting screws, and contouring and applying plates under the guidance of Specialist tutors. At the end of the session you will be well equipped to tackle the more straightforward fractures that require plating in your practice.
Module 2: External Skeletal Fixation in Practice
Date: 4th - 5th July 2008
External skeletal fixation (ESF) is a method of fracture repair that you will find extremely useful in first opinion practice. The techniques do not require a large amount of highly expensive equipment, and when frames are applied correctly and managed appropriately ESF can provide a very satisfactory result for your canine and feline fracture patients.
However, you need to follow essential principles of construction and application. Above all you need to know how to select your cases to get the best results, especially when you are starting out in the use of ESF. During this course you will acquire essential knowledge and then practise the techniques under the guidance of highly experienced and approachable Specialist tutors.
Specific areas to be covered include:
• When to use ESF- how to select your cases • Practical tips and how to minimise potential pitfalls • Instrumentation- what should you choose? • Safe corridors- avoid those vital structures!
• Frame construction for optimal results • Application of ESF frame to a radial fracture
• Application of ESF frame to a tibial fracture • Other indications for ESF
Module 3: General Joint Surgery
Date: 10th - 11th October 2008
This course will help you to optimise your approach to dogs and cats requiring joint surgery in your practice, and to develop your surgical skills under the guidance of highly experienced and approachable tutors. During the seminars you will learn essential theory and then apply this in case based sessions and discussions, related to the types of presentations that you are likely to encounter in first opinion practice. The extensive wetlab practical sessions will help you to refine your technique in a safe and supportive environment.
Specific areas to be covered include:
• Management of elbow and hip dysplasia • OCD • Decision making • Common luxations: • When to consider arthrodesis • Arthrocentesis • Surgical approaches to the shoulder, elbow, tarsocrural joint and hip • Femoral head and neck excision • Transarticular pinning • Iliofemoral suture
Module 4: Stifle Surgery
Date: 5th - 6th December 2008
This two day course will bring you right up to date with current thinking on surgical conditions of the stifle. Which technique should you select for your cruciate-deficient patient? What are the likely outcomes following surgery? And how would you manage a patient suffering from traumatic disruption of the stifle?
Find out on this highly practical course, which combines tutorials with hands on surgery sessions so that you can apply your knowledge with expert help in a friendly and supportive environment.
Specific areas to be covered include:
• Cruciate disease and Patellar luxation • Traumatic disruption of the stifle • Surgical approaches to the stifle • Meniscal examination • Over the Top cruciate surgery, Extracapsular stabilisation and self locking knots • Trochleoplasty • Tibial tuberosity transposition • Collateral ligament repair
Course Fee
Full Course = £2725.00 + VAT (£3201.88)
Individual Modules = £700.00 + VAT (£822.50)