Effects of Surgical Skills of Veterinary Medicine Students on Postoperative Stress, Oxidative Stress and Pain in Bitches Undergoing Ovariohysterectomy

Abstract

This study was designed to demonstrate the effects of surgical skills of final-year veterinary medicine students relating to total surgery time and skin incision length on postoperative stress, oxidative stress and pain in bitches undergoing ovariohysterectomy under identical anaesthesia and surgical procedures. The control group (n=12) consisted of bitches that were operated on by an experienced surgeon, while the ovariohysterectomies in the experiment group (n=12) were performed by final-year veterinary medicine students. Blood samples were taken 24 hours before the surgery, during premedication, at the end of surgery and 30 minutes, 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after surgery for the analysis of cortisol, total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and for the calculation of the oxidative stress index (OSI). Modified Melbourne Pain Scale was used for pain assessment. It was observed that the total surgery time and length of skin incision in the experiment group were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those detected in the control group. The concentrations of cortisol were statistically higher (p<0.001) in the experiment group than those measured in the control group, apart from the concentrations measured at 24 hours before surgery. The concentrations of TOS and TAS did not show any significant differences within and between groups. Similarly, OSI did not differ within groups. However, OSI values at premedication time in the experiment group were statistically higher (p<0.05) than those calculated in the control group. Pain scores did not differ within and between groups. In conclusion, it is indicated that the blood cortisol concentrations tend to increase due to the surgery time or the length of skin incision. Moreover, ovariohysterectomies may be safely performed by final-year veterinary medicine students without any postoperative pain.

Keywords

• Cortisol
• dog
• pain
• TOS
• TAS

Veteriner Hekimliği Öğrencilerinin Cerrahi Becerilerinin Ovaryohisterektomi Yapılan Köpeklerde Postoperatif Stres, Oksidatif Stres ve Ağrı Üzerine Etkileri

Öz

SSunulan çalışmada, veteriner hekimliği eğitiminin son sınıfında olan öğrencilerin, toplam operasyon süresi ve deri ensizyonu uzunluğu ile ilişkili olan cerrahi becerilerinin operasyon sonrası stres, oksidatif stres ve ağrı üzerine etkilerinin aynı anestezi ve cerrahi prosedürler altında ortaya konulması amaçlandı. Tecrübeli bir hekimin opere ettiği köpekler kontrol grubunu (n=12) oluştururken, veteriner fakültesi son sınıfta eğitim gören öğrenciler tarafından opere edilen köpekler (n=12) deneme grubunu oluşturdu. Operasyondan 24 saat önce, premedikasyon sırasında, operasyon sonunda ve operasyondan 30 dakika, 1, 2, 4 ve 6 saat sonra kan örnekleri toplanarak kortizol, toplam oksidant durum (TOD), toplam antioksidant durum (TAD) ölçüldü ve oksidatif stress indeksi (OSI) hesaplandı. Modifiye edilmiş Melbourne Ağrı Skalası ağrı değerlendirilmesi için kullanıldı. Deneme grubundaki köpeklerde, toplam operasyon süresi ve deri ensizyon uzunluğunun kontrol grubundaki köpeklerden istatistiksel olarak (p<0.001) daha yüksek olduğu gözlendi. Deneme grubunda ölçülen kortizol düzeylerinin kontrol grubuna göre istatistiksel olarak yüksek (p<0.001) olduğu, ancak operasyondan 24 saat önceki değerlerde farklılık olmadığı belirlendi. TOD ve TAD düzeylerinin gruplar içinde ve arasında önemli farklılık oluşturmadığı izlendi. Benzer şekilde, OSI değerleri de gruplar içinde farklılık oluşturmadı. Bununla birlikte, deneme grubunda premedikasyon sırasındaki OSI değerlerinin kontrol grubuna göre istatistiksel olarak yüksek (p<0.05) olduğu gözlendi. Ağrı skorları ise gruplar içinde ve arasında farklılık oluşturmadı. Sonuç olarak, operasyon süresi ve deri ensizyonu uzunluğu ile ilişkili olarak kortizol düzeylerinin artış eğiliminde olduğu belirlendi. Diğer taraftan, veteriner hekimliği son sınıf öğrencilerinin de operasyon sonrası ağrıya neden olmadan güvenli bir şekilde kısırlaştırma operasyonları gerçekleştirebileceği düşünülmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Kortizol
• köpek
• ağrı
• TOD
• TAD

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