Principles of surgery
This module covers principles of pre-operative animal assessment and
The module provides information about possible complications, post-operative care and monitoring along with details of the healing process
Trainees should be able to:
22.1. Explain the relevance and need for pre-operative assessment and, where appropriate, conditioning.
22.2. Identify sources of reference for good surgical practice.
22.3. Describe the process of tissue healing and relate to this to the importance of asepsis and hygienic practices, wound creation, the principles of tissue handling and selection of a suitable surgical approach.
22.4. Discuss possible causes of delayed or impaired wound healing or other post-surgical complications and describe ways in which these can be avoided or, if they occur, treated.
22.5. Describe in general terms how personnel, animals, instruments and equipment should be prepared for aseptic surgery.
22.6. List the principles of successful surgery (e.g. Halstead’s principles) and indicate how to achieve these.
22.7. Describe the characteristics of different, commonly-used instruments, suture materials and needles.
22.8. Relate the importance of good technique in accessing surgical sites, handling tissues and repairing incisions.
22.9. Indicate the characteristics of different suture patterns and their applicability to different situations.
22.10. Demonstrate how to place a suture correctly.
22.11. Describe common post-surgical complications and their causes.
22.12. Relate the principles of post-surgical care and monitoring.
22.13. Describe the planning of surgical procedures and discuss the competencies required of all personnel involved.
22.14. Demonstrate competence in surgical techniques, including ablations and incisions and their closure by methods appropriate to the tissue concerned.
22.15. Describe particular aspects of care appropriate for animals before, during and after surgical or any other potentially painful intervention.