Effect of surgeon experience on postoperative plasma cortisol and C-reactive protein concentrations after ovariohysterectomy in the dog: a randomised trial

Objective To determine if postoperative C‐reactive protein (CRP) or cortisol concentrations were significantly changed between dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy by an experienced or inexperienced surgeon. As part of the Charles Sturt University teaching program, 45 bitches from an animal shelter we...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Australian veterinary journal 2012-12, Vol.90 (12), p.474a-478
Main Authors: Michelsen, J, Heller, J, Wills, F, Noble, GK
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
C-reactive protein
C-Reactive Protein - analysis
C-Reactive Protein - metabolism
Clinical Competence
cortisol
dogs
Dogs - surgery
education
Female
Hydrocortisone - blood
Hysterectomy - veterinary
Ovariectomy - veterinary
ovariohysterectomy
Plasma
Postoperative Complications - blood
Postoperative Complications - epidemiology
Postoperative Complications - veterinary
Postoperative Period
Stress
surgery
Time Factors
Treatment Outcome
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Objective To determine if postoperative C‐reactive protein (CRP) or cortisol concentrations were significantly changed between dogs undergoing ovariohysterectomy by an experienced or inexperienced surgeon. As part of the Charles Sturt University teaching program, 45 bitches from an animal shelter were surgically sterilised between March and October 2010. Methods The dogs were randomly assigned to surgeons, with 37 sterilised by veterinary undergraduates and 8 by experienced surgeons. Blood samples were collected preoperatively and at 2, 4 and 6 h postoperatively. A standard midline ovariohysterectomy was performed and detailed records kept. Results The median surgery time for experienced surgeons was 17 min versus 87 min for inexperienced surgeons. Anaesthesia time and blood loss were greater among the inexperienced surgeons. The CRP concentration increased significantly postoperatively for all animals (P < 0.001). Bitches sterilised by inexperienced surgeons had a significantly greater rise in CRP at 4 and 6 h post‐surgery (P = 0.046). Serum cortisol concentrations were found to increase significantly over time for all animals (P < 0.001), but were not affected by surgeon experience. Conclusion The results suggest that inexperienced surgeons affect their patients differently to experienced surgeons, potentially through tissue trauma or anaesthetic duration. The lack of difference in the cortisol concentrations reflects the large number of triggers for cortisol release and, potentially, that there was little difference between the groups in terms of perceived pain in the presence of good analgesia. Serum CRP concentration may be a more sensitive measure than serum cortisol of differences in surgical trauma.
ISSN:0005-0423
1751-0813
DOI:10.1111/j.1751-0813.2012.01013.x