ADVANCEMENTS IN ULTRASOUND-GUIDED, NEUROSTIMULATED AND BLIND APPROACHES TO LOCOREGIONAL ANAESTHESIA IN COMPANION ANIMALS

Peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) play nowadays an important role in perioperative pain management, both in human and in veterinary medicine. Several approaches have been described and validated in companion animals undergoing especially orthopaedic surgeries. Thus, considering the state of art in veterinary medicine, studies presented in this dissertation focus on pain management relate to soft tissue surgeries and medical conditions. An ultrasound-guided approach was used to assess cervical plexus block (US-CPB) in dog cadavers and to preliminary assess spermatic cord block (US-SCB) in dogs undergoing orchiectomy. A Neurostimulated approach to mandibular and facial nerves was assessed in dogs and rabbits undergoing total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy (TECALBO). Furthermore, a different technique was described as a case report in a rabbit undergoing partial ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy (PECA-LBO), considering the different surgical technique used and the individual and specie-specific characteristics. Blind celiac plexus block is reported in a dog to manage severe pain related to acute pancreatitis irresponsive to conventional systemic analgesia. All these new techniques resulted to be feasible and those assessed in a clinical setting showed enhancement in anaesthetic stability and pain management, appearing to have promising application in clinical practice.