TRAUMATIC ORTHOPEDIC DISEASES IN UNOWNED CATS: TEACHING PERFORMANCE INVESTIGATION FOR UNDERGRADUATE TRAINING AND COHORT CLINICAL STUDY.

In the last decades, there has been an increasing interest in the medical management of unowned cats within small animal practice. Trauma is a common cause of hospitalization and mortality in unowned cats, frequently resulting in traumatic orthopedic and craniomaxillofacial injuries. However, the current veterinary literature lacks epidemiological data and prognostic factors for unowned cats suffering from such injuries. Craniomaxillofacial fractures, a common sequela of trauma in cats, present diagnostic challenges due to their anatomical complexity. Meanwhile, both human and veterinary medicine have increasingly explored novel educational strategies to enhance students’ learning. Among these, 3D-printed models have demonstrated their utility in the understanding of fractures affecting complex bone structures. In this scenario, this research project had two primary objectives. The first was to investigate the outcomes of unowned cats affected by orthopedic traumatic injuries referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Milan (VTHUM). Data on signalment, injury patterns, and treatments were analyzed to identify correlations with clinical outcomes. The second aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of 3D-printed feline skull models as a learning tool for the radiographic interpretation of craniomaxillofacial traumatic injuries in cats. Unowned cats suffering from traumatic orthopaedic injuries referred by the veterinary public service over three-year period were retrospectively evaluated for inclusion. Clinical variables were retrospectively collected from the medical records and analysed using nominal logistic regression. A total of 48 unowned cats were enrolled, with a median estimated age of 24 (1-180) months and a body weight of 3 (0.7-5) kg. Thirty-four (71%) patients reached complete functional recovery (CFR). Several factors were significantly associated with CFR, including estimated age, body weight, time from trauma to therapeutic intervention, spinal involvement, presence of comorbidities, hospitalization time, and radiographic score. A longer interval between trauma and therapeutic intervention seemed to be associated with a better outcome. For the second part of the project, fourth- and fifth-year veterinary students were randomly assigned to two groups (2D and 3D) and completed a pre-test consisting of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Both groups attended a recorded lesson on feline skull radiographic anatomy and traumatic lesions, after which the 3D group received 3D-printed skulls models, both normal and with traumatic lesions. Finally, all students completed a post-test. The MCQs included orthogonal feline skull radiographs representing three different trauma patterns and assessed knowledge of normal anatomy and lesion recognition. Twenty-three (25.6%) fourth-year and 67 (74.4%) fifth-year students participated. Post-test scores significantly improved in both groups compared to pre-test scores. However, no significant differences were observed between the 2D and 3D groups in the post-test scores, suggesting that 3D-printed models did not improve the students’ ability to recognize anatomical structures and traumatic lesions of the feline skull. In the unique academic setting of the VTHUM, that melts education, research, and clinical activity, further studies are warranted to refine teaching strategies for complex clinical topics. Moreover, this project provides the bases for establishing an evidence-based algorithm for managing traumatic orthopedic injuries in unowned cats.