Orthopaedics for Beginners

This two-day practical course is designed to provide a solid grounding in how to deal with common orthopaedic problems and build confidence in surgical approaches and techniques. The combination of lectures and practical sessions will revise relevant surgical anatomy to enable delegates to undertake with confidence the surgical management of common articular problems. These will include femoral head and neck arthroplasty, surgery for osteochondrosis, lateral retinacular suture placement for the cruciate deficient stifle, and techniques to correct medial patellar luxation.

Basic fracture planning will be described and the correct use of wire, screws and plates will undertaken.

Objectives

• Relevant surgical anatomy and the sympathetic handling of tissues
• Key surgical approaches to bones and joints
• Fracture planning
• Fracture repair using pins, plates, cerclage and tension band wires
• The correct use of screws as lag, position and plate screws
• Osteochondrosis
• Cranial cruciate ligament disease and patellar luxation
• Hip and elbow dysplasia

Summary

Comprehensive course notes, refreshments through the day and lunches.

Those who wish to perform routine arthrotomies of the hip and stifle, shoulder, and elbow and those who wish to commence repairing simple fractures. Previous experience is not essential and the emphasis will be on gaining confidence to perform routine orthopaedic procedures in the dog.