Panel Discussion - Regional Anaesthesia for Spinal and Thoracic Procedures in Dogs and Cats

Course overview

Thoracic and spinal surgeries are commonly performed in small animal specialty and referral practice and the use of regional anesthesia has revolutionized our ability to provide perioperative analgesia for patients undergoing these procedures. The list of possible regional anesthetic techniques for the lateral and ventral chest and the structures associated with different approaches to the thoracic and lumbar spine has expanded over the last five years and, unless you follow the literature closely, may not be aware of these new analgesic techniques or the pros and cons of each of them. Many veterinarians may find themselves asking s there a block Do the benefits outweigh the potential risks?, and Can I perform my blocks blindly or do I need special equipment to do them? Join our panel of internationally renowned anesthesia and pain management specialists for an interactive discussion covering the ins and outs of performing regional anesthesia to facilitate spinal and thoracic surgeries. We will discuss what information experts in the field use to develop new blocks, decide which techniques to perform on their patients, how to select which drug and dose to administer, what equipment to use, the pros and cons of the various techniques that are possible (e.g. blind, ultrasound-guided), and their personal preferences for different regions of the body. Differences in decision making between cats and dogs will be discussed, as will controversial aspects of the various blocks and what types of new techniques are currently in development or on the horizon. Whether you are new to the idea of using regional anesthesia for these surgical procedures and simply want to improve your level of patient care or are a seasoned practitioner of nerve blocks and want to refine your approach by hearing more about what the experts are doing and how they got there, you will find this session invaluable to your professional development