Lucio Petrizzi

Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and cystostomy for treatment of cystic calculus in a gelding.

OBJECTIVE To report laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and inguinal cystostomy for treating bladder urolithiasis in a gelding. STUDY DESIGN Clinical report. ANIMALS Twelve-year-old Appaloosa gelding. METHODS A laparoscopic approach was used to locate and grasp the bladder, which was exteriorized through an enlarged instrument portal for cystotomy to remove the calculus. During withdrawal, the calculus fragmented into multiple pieces. To avoid urethral occlusion and facilitate elimination of these fragments, an inguinal cystostomy was created. The seromuscular layer of the bladder was circumferentially secured to the abdominal fascia and bladder mucosa margins were sutured to the skin. RESULTS At 2-year follow-up, the gelding was in good condition with mild urine scald of the left ventral abdomen. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy was used for calculus removal and inguinal cystostomy for successful fragment elimination.Objective To report laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy and inguinal cystostomy for treating bladder urolithiasis in a gelding. Study Design Clinical report. Animals Twelve-year-old Appaloosa gelding. Methods A laparoscopic approach was used to locate and grasp the bladder, which was exteriorized through an enlarged instrument portal for cystotomy to remove the calculus. During withdrawal, the calculus fragmented into multiple pieces. To avoid urethral occlusion and facilitate elimination of these fragments, an inguinal cystostomy was created. The seromuscular layer of the bladder was circumferentially secured to the abdominal fascia and bladder mucosa margins were sutured to the skin. Results At 2-year follow-up, the gelding was in good condition with mild urine scald of the left ventral abdomen. Conclusion Laparoscopic-assisted cystotomy was used for calculus removal and inguinal cystostomy for successful fragment elimination.

Comparative Evaluation of the Accuracy of Oscillometric and Direct Methods for Arterial Blood Pressure Monitoring During Anaesthesia in Dogs

The availability of accurate, repeatable and quick time response measurements is necessary for an arterial blood pressure monitoring system. Early detection of pressure changes and continuous assessment of the effects of the therapeutic actions could sensitively contribute to the reduction of perioperative morbidity. The objective of the study reported here was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of an oscillometric monitoring system, compared to the direct method (Agilent CMS, Philips) regarding the range of pressures (normotension versus hypotension) and the frequency of measurements (every 2 min versus every 1 min).

Determination of marbofloxacin in plasma and synovial fluid by ultrafiltration followed by HPLC–MS/MS

A rapid LC-MS/MS method for the determination of marbofloxacin in plasma and synovial fluid is presented in this study. The method uses a rapid sample preparation which only requires an ultrafiltration step with centrifugal filter devices. The optimized procedure allows a minimal need of sample (175 μL), particularly useful for synovial fluid samples which amount is rather limited; it is simple, rapid and easily applicable providing anyhow a satisfactory clean up, demonstrated by post-infusion experiments. On the other hand to maximize the speed of the analysis an ultrafast chromatographic separation has been obtained by selecting a column of 20 mm; the reduced run-time is suitable for processing numerous samples on a daily basis. Linearity was assessed in the range 5-2500 ng mL(-1); ofloxacin was used as internal standard. LOD and LOQ were respectively 1 and 5 ng/mL. The method was successfully applied to a set of samples generated during an experimental veterinary study.

Analgesic effects of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine or their combination for castration of lambs

Objective To analyse the effectiveness of intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin for reducing pain and signs of stress in lambs undergoing surgical castration. Design Randomised controlled trial. Setting One university teaching hospital in Italy. Participants 30 healthy male lambs, 9–12 weeks old. Intervention Allocation to five groups: a control group (C), undergoing general anaesthesia but not castration; a surgery group (S), undergoing orchiectomy without analgesic treatment; a surgery-lidocaine group (SL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intrafunicular 2 per cent lidocaine solution; a surgery-flunixin group (SF), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving intravenous flunixin; a surgery-flunixin-lidocaine group (SFL), undergoing orchiectomy and receiving both intrafunicular lidocaine and intravenous flunixin. Main outcome measures Nociception and stress were assessed through intraoperative indicators, serum cortisol concentration, glycaemia, behaviour, immune response and clinical evaluation of the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate and rectal temperature after surgery. Results Groups S and SL showed increased values of intraoperative HR, mean arterial pressure and postoperative cortisol concentration. In group SFL, cortisol values were similar to those of group C. No other difference could be detected. Conclusions The combination of intravenous flunixin and intrafunicular lidocaine reduced the pain and discomfort of lambs castrated under general anaesthesia. Intrafunicular lidocaine alone did not prevent pain or discomfort associated with castration. Trial registration number 30/2012/CEISA/COM.

Ethanol Sclerotherapy for the Treatment of Uterine Cysts in the Mare

&NA; In this article, ethanol sclerotherapy was proposed for the treatment of large uterine cysts in the mare. Eight infertile mares, aged between 13 and 21 years, with large uterine cysts and without other detectable causes of infertility were selected. The cysts were emptied endoscopically, and 70% ethanol in saline solution was injected to fill 40% of the original volume. The mares were monitored clinically and ultrasonographically at 4 hours and at days 1, 3, and 14 after the treatment, as in the following estrus cycles. The cysts, which at diagnosis ranged between 4 and 6 cm in diameter, were between 0 and 0.5 cm after 4 hours and were not detectable in the following evaluations. No side effects or a recurrence of the uterine cyst were recorded. Fertility was recovered in 87.5% of the treated mares. The ethanol sclerotherapy seemed useful and safe to treat uterine cysts in the mare, also when the cysts were not pedunculated. HighlightsLarge uterine cysts were suspected to affect the fertility of the mare.Uterine cysts in eight mares were treated with ethanol sclerotherapy.The injection of the ethanol in the cystic lumen was effective and safe.Fertility was recovered in 87.5% of the treated mares without recurrence of the cyst.

Pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin administered via intravenous regional limb perfusion in dairy cows: evaluation of two different tourniquets

Objectives This study evaluated synovial and systemic plasma pharmacokinetic variables of marbofloxacin after a single intravenous regional limb perfusion (IVRLP) performed using two different tourniquets in clinically healthy, standing, non-sedated dairy cows. The authors hypothesised that the type of tourniquet used for IVRLP would influence the synovial fluid concentration of marbofloxacin in the perfused distal limb. Design The study had a randomised parallel-group design. Methods Ten adult dairy cows were included. Unilateral hindlimb IVRLP through the dorsal common digital III vein was performed in two groups of five cows (group 1: wide rubber tourniquet; group 2: manual pneumatic tourniquet) using 0.67 mg/kg of marbofloxacin. The tourniquet was applied proximal to the tarsus and maintained for 30 minutes. Samples of jugular blood and synovial fluid from the tibiotarsal joints of the perfused limb were obtained before and at intervals after IVRLP. All samples were analysed for drug concentrations using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined to establish the influence of tourniquet types. Differences were considered significant at P≤0.05. Results No adverse effects from the procedure or marbofloxacin were observed in any animal. Significant differences in synovial concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters were measured. The mean ± sd areas under the concentration versus time curve from time 0 to 24 hours were 178.98±58.08 µg hour/ml for group 2 and 21.11±9.93 µg hour/ml for group 1. The mean ± sd maximum marbofloxacin concentrations were 75.50±10.19 µg/ml for group 2 and 6.35±1.47 µg/ml for group 1. Conclusions Performing IVRLP using the dorsal common digital III vein and a manual pneumatic tourniquet set at 300 mmHg above the tarsus in standing cows resulted in significantly higher marbofloxacin concentrations in the tibiotarsal joint compared with those with the wide rubber tourniquet. Trial registration Local ethical committee (number 41/2012/CEISA).

Long-Term Outcome of En Bloc Extensive Resection of the Penis and Prepuce Associated with a Permanent Perineal Urethrostomy in a Gelding Affected by Squamous Cell Carcinoma

A 15-year-old gelding was referred for a florid, cauliflower-like ulcerated mass, enclosing penis and prepuce together with penile urethra showing a malodorous purulent and blood-stained discharge and larvae infestation. En bloc extensive resection of the penis and prepuce, without penile retroversion or pexy to ventral abdomen associated with a permanent perineal urethrostomy, was performed. Histology of the mass revealed a squamous cell carcinoma of penis and prepuce. The surgical technique that was adopted is a modified version of that already described that allows a more proximal resection of the penile body and is a valid option for treating advanced SCC lesions involving the penis. Early postsurgical complications (mild strangury, haemorrhage from the urethrostomy site and its partial dehiscence, and infection of the abdominal wound) were managed with a medical treatment and resolved within 5 to 12 days. Three years after surgery the horse is in good body condition and does not show any sign of recurrence or disorders related to the surgery.

An ovine preimmune foetal model to study the effect of cellular therapies for myocardic diseases

The ovine foetus is an ideal model for preclinical medical studies of cell therapies. It allows us to follow the behaviour of repairing cells inserted into a favourable physiological microenvironment in an animal species more closely related to humans than the rat or rabbit. In addition, the preimmune foetus is able to support cell engraftment by eliminating the problems of tissue rejection. Labelled fibroblasts were transplanted into the myocardium of preimmune foetuses, injecting through a disposable bowed mouth pipette into the left ventricular apex. Two weeks later, foetuses were isolated by laparotomy and each heart was collected and morphologically analyzed. No cases of abortion or postoperative complications in mothers or foetuses occurred. Macroscopically, the isolated hearts did not display any abnormality apart from a small petechia at the injection site. Tissue sections did not show any sign of acute tissue inflammation and viable labelled cells were easily identified among myocardiocytes. This model system guarantees a reduced damage in the engrafted tissue, a high survival and easy retrieval of the injected cells. The direct injection of cells into the preimmune ovine foetus myocardium can be satisfactorily performed to control tissue delivery and to reduce the risk of cell loss and dispersion.