Clinical Assessment of Introducing Locoregional Anaesthesia Techniques as Part as the Intraoperative Analgesia Management for Canine Ovariohysterectomy in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Many analgesic protocols are described to manage pain during ovariohysterectomy. Over the past few years, loco-regional anaesthesia techniques have been introduced in veterinary anaesthesia. Therefore, students should be aware of these techniques and trained on them. This retrospective study assessed four different methods of providing analgesia for ovariohysterectomy (i.e., epidural analgesia (EPIDURAL), quadratus lumborum block (QLB), transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block, or systemic analgesia (GENERAL). Undergraduate students performed all the loco-regional anaesthesia procedures under the direct supervision of a qualified anaesthetist. Considering the inclusion criteria, 120 dogs were included in this study (22 EPIDURAL, 32 QLB, 39 TAP, 27 GENERAL). Based on our study results, we can conclude that all these four analgesic protocols are suitable for controlling nociception during ovariohysterectomy. All of them required a similar number of analgesic rescues and showed a very low rate of complications. No matter the technique, loco-regional anaesthesia showed better quality of recovery than just systemic analgesia. A significatively lower dose of methadone was used for premedication in the loco-regional anaesthesia groups compared with the systemic analgesia group. Epidural analgesia was the only technique in which the concentration of the volatile agent was lower than in the other groups. No complications related to loco-regional anaesthesia techniques were recorded; therefore, this indicates that it would be safe for students to perform when the procedure is conducted under direct supervision. ABSTRACT: This study compared four methods to provide intraoperative analgesia during canine ovariohysterectomy in a veterinary teaching hospital. A retrospective study was designed to assess the nociceptive response, cardiorespiratory stability, quality of recovery and complications of four analgesic protocols: epidural analgesia (EPIDURAL group), Quadratus Lumborum block (QLB group), Transversus Abdominis Plane block (TAP group), and just systemic analgesia (GENERAL group). Undergraduate students carried out all the loco-regional techniques under the direct supervision of a qualified anaesthetist. A total of 120 cases met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study and were distributed as follows: 22, 27, 32 and 39 cases with EPIDURAL, GENERAL, QLB and TAP groups, respectively. Data were analysed with statistical software R using different statistical methods. Significant differences among groups were defined as p < 0.05. Based on our results, all the groups needed the same number of rescue analgesia during the intra-operative period. The use of loco-regional techniques anticipated a better quality of recovery compared with the general group. The EPIDURAL group showed a statistically lower expired fraction of sevoflurane. No differences were found regarding complications. In conclusion, these four analgesic methods are suitable and safe to be performed for canine ovariohysterectomy, although loco-regional techniques might have some advantages.