Main and Minor Types of Collagens in the Articular Cartilage: The Role of Collagens in Repair Tissue Evaluation in Chondral Defects

Several collagen subtypes have been identified in hyaline articular cartilage. The main and most abundant collagens are type II, IX and XI collagens. The minor and less abundant collagens are type III, IV, V, VI, X, XII, XIV, XVI, XXII, and XXVII collagens. All these collagens have been found to play a key role in healthy cartilage, regardless of whether they are more or less abundant. Additionally, an exhaustive evaluation of collagen fibrils in a repaired cartilage tissue after a chondral lesion is necessary to determine the quality of the repaired tissue and even whether or not this repaired tissue is considered hyaline cartilage. Therefore, this review aims to describe in depth all the collagen types found in the normal articular cartilage structure, and based on this, establish the parameters that allow one to consider a repaired cartilage tissue as a hyaline cartilage

Percutaneous Fluoroscopic-Guided Celiac Plexus Approach: Results in a Pig Cadaveric Model

Celiac plexus block (CPB) and neurolysis (CPN) are used for pain management in people suffering from abdominal tumours or chronic pancreatitis. The fluoroscopically guided approach common in human medicine has not been described in veterinary settings. The aim of this study was to describe a fluoroscopic approach to the celiac plexus (CP) in fresh pig cadavers. Twelve animals were included in the procedure. Cadavers were positioned in sternal position and, under fluoroscopic guidance, a Chiba needle was inserted parasagittal at 6 cm from the spinal midline at the level of the last thoracic vertebra. From the left side, the needle was directed medio-ventrally with a 45◦ angle towards the T15 vertebral body; once the vertebral body was contacted, the needle was advanced 1 cm ventrally towards the midline. Iodinated contrast was injected to confirm the location. Following this, 2 mL of dye (China ink) was injected. A laparotomy was performed, and dyed tissue was dissected and prepared for both histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. In 10 out of 12 samples submitted for histological evaluation, nervous tissue belonging to CP was observed. Fluoroscopy guidance allows for feasible access to the CP in swine cadavers in this study. Further studies are warranted to determine the efficacy of this technique in swine and other veterinary species

Parasympathetic Tone Changes in Anesthetized Horses after Surgical Stimulation, and Morphine, Ketamine, and Dobutamine Administration

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity can modify cardiovascular parameters in response to nociceptive stimuli or drugs in anesthetized animals. The aim of this study was to determine if a surgical nociceptive stimulus and morphine, ketamine, and dobutamine administration would modify ANS activity observed as a change in the mean parasympathetic tone activity (PTAm) in anesthetized horses. In 20 anesthetized horses, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and PTAm were monitored before and 1, 3, and 5 min after surgical incision, and before and 10 min after the administration of morphine (0.2 mg/kg IV). If nystagmus or spontaneous ventilation was observed, ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV) was given, and the three variables were registered before and 3 and 5 min afterward. If MAP reached ≤ 62 mmHg, a dobutamine infusion was administered, and the three variables were recorded before and 5 min after starting/increasing the infusion (0.25 μg/kg/min IV every 5 min). The three variables were registered before and 1, 3, and 5 min after a PTAm decrease of ≥ 20%, HR increase of ≥ 10%, or MAP increase of ≥ 20%. The PTAm decreased 3 min after the administration of ketamine and 1 min after a PTA event. The surgical incision, dobutamine, and morphine did not modify PTAm. The absence of changes in ANS activity after the nociceptive stimulus and lack of correlation between PTAm and HR or MAP suggest that PTAm is a poor indicator of sympathetic activation under the study conditions. Ketamine seems to affect ANS activity by decreasing PTAm

IMPLANTACIÓN DE UN AULA PILOTO DE HABILIDADES PRÁCTICAS PARA LAS ASIGNATURAS DE PERFIL CLÍNICO DEL GRADO EN VETERINARIA

Time limitations in the teaching of clinical subjects of the Veterinary Degree, as well as the high student/teacher ratio and especially student/patient, determine the training of students and compromising the acquisition of specific competences. Thus, students should amortize the time devoted to learning these subjects, integrate the knowledge acquired in them and be able to face clinical situations with the consequent accomplishment of the necessary manual procedures. In the present study, derived from a teaching innovation project, we consider the practice-based teaching with inanimate models or mannequins as a complement of the teaching of clinical skills and acquisition of competences. Due to the high number of students, the short time they spend in clinical rotations with animals and bearing in mind the ethical considerations, it is very difficult for the students to perform the basic clinical skills and even to see them in real situations. The students must know these procedures within the subjects: Clinical Propedeutics, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Surgical Pathology and Internal Medicine, as well as to develop these abilities since they will be evaluated of those competences. We have proposed the implementation of a pilot classroom in the Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery where students can practice several times in the inanimate models in order to acquire the necessary expertise for the successful development of clinical skills. This initiative will promote an integrative teaching which will improve the learning and development of specific skills, as well as the acquisition of other transversal competences that will help the future veterinarian in the exercise of their profession.Las limitaciones temporales en la docencia de las asignaturas clínicas del Grado en Veterinaria, así como el elevado ratio estudiantes/profesor y sobre todo estudiantes/paciente, condicionan en gran medida la formación del alumnado, comprometiendo la adquisición de competencias específicas. Así, el alumnado debe amortizar el tiempo que dedica al aprendizaje de estas materias, integrar los conocimientos adquiridos en ellas para llegar a conseguir el fin de las mismas y ser capaz de enfrentarse a situaciones clínicas con la consecuente realización de los necesarios procedimientos manuales. En este artículo, generado a partir de un proyecto de innovación docente, consideramos la enseñanza basada en la práctica con modelos inanimados o maniquíes como imprescindible para complementar la enseñanza de habilidades clínicas y adquisición de competencias. Debido al alto número de alumnos y al escaso tiempo que pasan por rotaciones clínicas con animales, y teniendo en cuenta las consideraciones éticas, es muy difícil que todos ellos puedan realizar las habilidades clínicas básicas e incluso puedan verlas en situaciones reales. El alumnado debe conocer estos procedimientos dentro de la materia de las asignaturas Propedéutica Clínica, Anestesiología y Cuidados Intensivos, Patología Quirúrgica y Medicina Interna, así como desarrollar estas habilidades, puesto que serán evaluados de esas competencias. Para ello hemos propuesto la implantación en el Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal de un aula piloto donde los alumnos pueden practicar varias veces en los modelos, con el fin de adquirir la pericia necesaria para el dominio de las habilidades clínicas. De esta forma se fomentará una enseñanza integrativa, que mejorará el aprendizaje y el desarrollo de competencias específicas, además de adquirir otras competencias transversales que ayudarán al futuro veterinario en el ejercicio de su profesión