To develop a 3D anatomical model for teaching canine epidural anesthesia (3DMEA) and to assess its efficacy for teaching and learning prior to the use of live animals. Methods: The creation of 3DMEA was based on 3D optical scanning and 3D printing of canine bone pieces of the fifth to the seventh lumbar vertebrae, sacrum and pelvis. A total of 20 male dogs were scheduled for castration. 20 veterinary students watched a video showing epidural anesthesia in dogs before the clinical attempt and were assigned to control or 3DMEA groups. Students in the 3DMEA group trained in the model after the video. For the clinical trial, the epidural procedure was performed by students under the veterinary supervision. When observed the absence of response to nociceptive stimuli, the epidural was considered successful. Then, all students answered a questionnaire evaluating the main difficulty founded in the technique and its degree of difficulty. Results: The 3DMEA group reported a lower degree of difficulty to perform the epidural anesthesia technique when compared with the control group (p=0.0037). The 3DMEA reproduced the anatomical structures, allowing the perception of the distance of needle in relation to the iliac prominences during epidural anesthesia. Its mobility allowed simulation of the animal in standing position and sternal recumbency. Conclusion: The use of 3DMEA demonstrated greater efficacy in the execution of the technique, being effective in the teaching and learning process before the epidural anesthesia in live animals.

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Background:Intra-articular masses are not frequently encountered in clinical practice. However, the differential diagnosis can be broad. Synovial metastasis is a rare presentation that carries a poor prognosis with a poor survival rate.Objectives:Here by a case of synovial metastasis of the knee joint in a patient diagnosed with an adenocarcinoma of the lung.Methods:A 60-year-old man with no remarkable past medical history presented to our department of rheumatology with right knee pain. He described a dull ache and swelling in his right knee with a dragging sensation, waking him up at night on a regular basis. The symptoms lasted from 6 months and were partially improved by analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. On examination, temperature was normal. The knee was edematous, erythematous, and warm with a range of motion of <90°. Laboratory investigations showed high acute phase reactants, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 75 mm. A plain radiograph of the left knee demonstrated a lytic lesion of the upper tibia. A magnetic resonance imaging of the right knee showed diffuse enlargement of the joint space due to a tissue infiltration within the synovium. These structures demonstrated heterogeneously increased T2 signal and intermediate T1 intensity characteristics. Most of the joint space was replaced by hyper enhancing synovium. At that time, differential considerations included severe inflammatory arthritis and synovial chondromatosis rather than unusual metastasis.Results:Biopsy concluded to synovial metastasis from primary adenocarcinoma. Further investigations were necessary. Chest tomography showed a tumor process of left lower lobe associated with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The patient was treated with palliative external radiotherapy to the right knee. The evolution was marked by the appearance of multiple tracheobronchial fistulas. The patient died 3 months later due to the progression of the disease.Conclusion:We report a rare case of synovial metastasis concomitant to a lung adenocarcinoma. It is important to make a rapid diagnosis as early recognition of malignant infiltration into joints ensure appropriate multidisciplinary management decisions.Disclosure of Interests:None declared

O uso de técnicas de cirurgia reconstrutiva é de grande importância quando há perda de uma ampla quantidade de tecido cutâneo. O objetivo deste trabalho é relatar a utilização da técnica de retalho de avanço pediculado em decorrência de extensa ausência de tecido cutâneo resultante da exérese de neoplasia na região peniana de um cão. O presente estudo relata o caso de um cão da raça American Pitbull Terrier, macho castrado, com sete anos de idade, com histórico de neoplasia e aumento de nódulo na região peniana. Após avaliação clínica do animal, achou-se por bem o tratamento por meio da remoção cirúrgica do neoplasma. Durante o procedimento cirúrgico constatou-se que seria necessário o emprego de um retalho de avanço pediculado para fechamento da ferida ocasionada pela remoção da neoplasia. Para diminuir a tensão e os riscos de complicações no retalho, foi realizada uma “walking suture” no subcutâneo, técnicas essas que garantiram uma cicatrização com aspecto estético e funcional satisfatório com o mínimo de tensão.

Background: Automated hematology analyzers have been developed to optimize the time between analyses and have promising precision and accuracy. Complete blood count (CBC) is often requested as part of veterinary clinical examination. Automated analyzers are often used to determine CBCs, since processing as well as container-related errors may occur owing to variable sizes, aggregates, white or red blood cell fragments, and effects of EDTA on cell morphology. Platelet aggregates frequently occur in felines, with studies reporting a prevalence of approximately 71%. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of exercise aggregates on the global white blood cell count of domestic cats using automated hematological counters with the impedance method.Materials, Methods & Results: Blood samples of 140 cats, irrespective of age, sex, and breed, were collected into EDTA-containing tubes. The samples were obtained via routine clinical examinations at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) and processed at the Veterinary Parasitology Experimental Chemotherapy Laboratory (LQEPV), belonging to the same institution. All the samples were processed on the Sysmex pocH-100iV Diff automated hematology apparatus according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Leukocyte counts were also manually determined using a duplicate Neubauer chamber. Standard dilutions were prepared immediately after the automated analysis. To identify the occurrence of platelet aggregates, a blood smear was made and visualized under a brightfield microscope at a magnification of 10× and scored 0 to 3 (G1, G2, G3, and G4) based on the aggregation intensity. In case of changes, the groups were subdivided according to the intensity of occurrence. Of the 140 samples analyzed, 76.4% (107/140) showed some degree of platelet aggregation. The maximum variation in leukocyte counts determined by the automatic and the manual technique in G1 was 2,500 cells. In G2, it was possible to identify a variation of 6,500 nucleated cells, whereas in G3, this value was 7,100 cells. In G4, where platelet aggregation was intense, the variation between counts was up to 15,000 nucleated cells. A significant difference of variation in total white blood cell count between manual and automated methods was observed when compared to animals that did not show any degree of platelet aggregation (P < 0.05). Of the total samples, 23.57% (33/140) comprised G1, 24.28% (34/140) G2, 22.14% (31/140) G3, and 30% (42/140) G4. Of the 140 samples analyzed, 107 showed aggregates, pseudo-thrombocytopenia, and changes in the total number of leukocytes.Discussion: Samples with higher platelet aggregate formation showed greater interference in global leukometry when analyzed using the hematological counter. White blood cell counts determined by automated analyzers should be interpreted with caution and compared to manual counts when there is significant platelet aggregation in the sample. The findings reinforce the importance of reconfirming the results obtained using an automated equipment in order to avoid misinterpretations that may influence diagnosis and therapy. It is essential to re-check the values obtained from an automated equipment with traditional methods in order to minimize possible errors generated by the equipment, since such errors may affect the clinical diagnosis and subsequently, the therapeutic approach chosen.

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