A Comparison of Surgical Training with Live Anesthetized Dogs and Cadavers

Abstract

Cadavers were compared with live anesthetized dogs for their effectiveness as models for surgical training of veterinary medical students. One group of students was trained using cadavers, and a peer group was trained using live anesthetized dogs. Both groups then performed an intestinal anastomosis using a live subject. The time to completion of the procedure was recorded. The anastomoses and celiotomy closures were evaluated. Each anastomosis was isolated and pressure tested. Reviewers blindly scored each surgical team's performance based on actual inspection of the surgical site and on viewing videotapes of the procedure. The participants' attitudes toward the use of live animals in teaching and research were documented before and after training. No statistically significant differences could be detected between the two groups. The results suggest that some substitution of cadavers for live dogs in surgical training might be feasible.

Alternatives to the use of live animals in military medical trauma training

“…(Henkel et al 1994;Calderwood and Ravin 1972;and Forbes et al 1989) (Knudsen and Darre 1996;Mattsson et al 1980;Smeak et al 1991;and Calderwood and Ravin 1972) (Kopchok et al 1993;Henkel et al 1994;Watson et al 1982;Klausner et al 1987;Nelson 1990;Mattsson et al 1980;Gimpleson et al 1989;Smeak et al 1991;Tugsel 1992;Calderwood and Ravin 1972;Jennings et al 1974;and Forbes et al 1989) (Klausner et al 1987;Sternbach and Rosen 1977;Knudsen and Darre 1996;Mattsson et al 1980;Henkel et al 1994;Anastakis et al 1999;Calderwood and Ravin 1972;Gimpleson et al 1989;) (Johnson and Farmer 1989;) (Klausner et al 1987;Rosin 1986;Homan et al 1994;) (Klausner et al 1987;Mattsson et al 1980;Kopchok et al 1993;Owen et al 1987;Rosin 1986;Anders et al 1989;Carpenter et al 1991;) (Klausner et al 1987;Mattsson et al 1980;Watson et al 1982;and Carpenter et al 1991) (Mattsson et a...…”

“…Other models include the rabbit (Gimpelson et al 1989) which is especially suited for urogenital surgerical training, the pig (Swindle 1983a(Swindle , 1983b, and poultry (Tugsel 1992). Veterinary surgery reports the use of the dog (Rosin 1986;Carpenter et al 1991;Greenfield et al 1994;Greenfield et al 1995;and Olsen et al 1996), the rabbit (Boothe and Hartsfield 1990;and Kaplan and Timmons 1979), and large animals (Shires 1986). Birger Schantz (1979) discusses many aspects of model selection for experimental missile trauma wounding which make the discussed species (horses, cattle, small ruminants, dogs, and pigs) more or less suitable for this research.…”

“…1986) (Pince 1970;Nelson 1990;Smeak 1989;Rollin 1990;Klofas 1997;Rogers et al 1986;PCRM n.d.a;Schantz 1979;Swindle 1984;Rosin 1986;Gambardella 1986;Carpenter et al 1991;Steffens et al 1992;De Young and Richardson 1987;Greenfield et al 1993;Bauer 1993;Olsen et al 1996;Johnson and Farmer 1989;Lossing, Hatswell, et al 1992;and Barnes 1987) (Sinclair 1984;Smeak 1989;Olsen et al 1996;) (Stotter et al 1986;Eaton et al 1990;Majeed et al 1992;Byrne 1994;Hoffman et al 1990;Lossing, and Hatswell et al 1992) (Smeak 1989;Smeak et al 1991;Steffens et al 1992;Benfield et al 1991;andWill 1984) (Eggerston 1983;and Sternbach and Rosen 1977) (Pince 1970;Eggerston 1983;Sinclair 1984;Smeak 1989;Rollin 1990;Rogers et al 1986;Stotteretal. 1986;Anders et al 1989;…”

“…Many surgical trainers promote the use of animal models in training in order to complement other training strategies (Carpenter et al 1991;Kopchok et al 1993;Wolfe et al 1993;Böhm and Milsom 1994;Clerici 1995;and Gardiner et al 1996). The question in this thesis is not one of how animate and inanimate models might best complement each other, but one of how they might replace each other.…”

“…Table 13 summarizes the characteristics of cadaver models. (Weaver et al 1986;Nelson 1990;PCRM n.d.a;Jennings et al 1974;Eaton et al 1990;Carpenter et al 1991;Greenfield et al 1993;Buyukmihci n.d.a;Anastakis et al 1999;Benfield et al 1991;) (Wolfe et al 1988;Straith et al 1961;Oneal et al 1967;Lawrence and Wiviott 1978;Romm and Berggren 1980;Stotter et al 1986;Hoffman et al 1990; ( Nelson 1990) (Weaver et al 1986;Straith et al 1961;and Lawrence and Wiviott 1978) (Weaver et al 1986) Tissue Reaction (Fresh CAD) (Wolfe et al 1988) Inexpensive & Readily Available (Narwani and Reid 1969;Majeed et al 1992;Straith et al 1961;Oneal et al 1967;Snell 1978;Hoffman et al 1990;Van Vreeswijk and Pameyer 1998;Coroneo 1990;Jennings 1986;and Bauer 1993) (Nelson 1990;Lewis and Nusbaum 1987;Snell 1978;Kass 1985;Carpenter et al 1991;Holmberg et al 1993;Holmberg and Cockshutt 1994;Benfie...…”