SCAM21006U Companion Animal Surgery – Orthopaedics III-Advanced Fracture and Joint Management

Volume 2024/2025
Education

This course is a compulsory course at the Master of Companion Animal Clinical Science. The Master is a postgraduate education targeting small animal veterinarians seeking Continual Professional Development (CPD).

This course is only available to enrolled students pursuing the full programme and is not open to single course students

Content

The purpose of this course is to extend the student’s knowledge, skills, and competences in the approach to, assessment, diagnosis, and management of the sick companion animal patient in need of advanced fracture and joint management. The course will extend the students assessment and management of the companion animal patient in need of advanced fracture and joint management, orthopaedic surgery and plan the perioperative management of the patient, including specific anaesthesia and analgesia requirements.

Learning Outcome

Having completed the course, the student must be able to:

Knowledge

  • Understand the aetiology, pathophysiology and clinical appearance of surgical fracture disorders
  • Understand the influence of surgical fracture disorders on the musculoskeletal system and on the selection of anaesthesia and anagelsia protocols.
  •  Use and continue to develop common and typical techniques in musculoskeletal disease focused on advanced fracture and joint management.
  • Explain, reflect about, and discuss a problem oriented and evidence-based work-up and treatment plan for patients with fractures.
  • Define and identify relevant anatomical structures

 

Skills

  • Perform advanced atraumatic and traumatic surgical techniques in advanced fracture management including:
    • Fracture classification, fracture healing and absolute and relative stability
    • Principles of using pin and cerclage, plates and screws, external fixator methods
    • Implant selection
    • Fracture management and surgical techniques for diaphyseal fractures, joint related fractures, pelvic fractures, fractures in growing animals, Salter-Harris fractures
    • Arthrodesis and fracture complications
  • Risk assessment after surgery with focus on treatment effect, complications and estimation of prognosis.
     

Competences

  • Evaluate, plan and manage a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex history within companion animal advanced fracture and joint disorders.
  • Plan advanced therapy/procedures for companion animal orthopaedic surgery patients with advanced fractures and joint disorders.
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence-based new knowledge within companion animal orthopaedic surgery of patients with advanced fractures.
  • Collaborate and communicate within and between specialist and non-specialist peers and laypersons involved in companion animal surgical patient fracture management.

Updated literature lists will be posted 1 month prior to course start. The participant should have theoretical knowledge updated prior to participation.

Inclusion criteria for Master's Programme in Companion Animal Clinical Science: Degree in veterinary medicine and at least two years of relevant work experience.
A mixture of case-based and problem oriented lectures, e-learning, theoretical and practical exercises. Case-study work. Scientific literature.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 16
  • Preparation
  • 41
  • Practical exercises
  • 12
  • Exam
  • 43
  • Total
  • 112
Oral
Individual
Collective
Credit
4 ECTS
Type of assessment
Portfolio
Type of assessment details
The portfolio exam consists of two parts.

1) The course certificate, which supports, underpins, and focuses on the learning process (learning portfolio). All required components of the course certificate must be approved and include a) a minimum of 80% active participation, b) preparation and oral presentation of a problem oriented clinical case and c) a written assignment, such as an evidence-based procedure or clinical protocol.

2) A graded evaluation, which focuses on the intended learning outcomes (evaluation portfolio). The graded evaluation includes an exam with multiple-choice, short answer, and/or essay questions.
Exam registration requirements

Both, approved course certificate and a passed examination are required to pass the course. Students may attend examination without approval of course certificate.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal censorship. More than one internal examiner
Exam period

Exam dates will be published on the programme  homepage.

Re-exam

The exam form for the reexam is the same as the ordinary exam. Se dates in the examplan

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student must be able to:

 

Knowledge

  • Understand the aetiology, pathophysiology and clinical appearance of surgical fracture disorders
  • Understand the influence of surgical fracture disorders on the musculoskeletal system and on the selection of anaesthesia and anagelsia protocols.
  •  Use and continue to develop common and typical techniques in musculoskeletal disease focused on advanced fracture and joint management.
  • Explain, reflect about, and discuss a problem oriented and evidence-based work-up and treatment plan for patients with fractures.
    • Define and identify relevant anatomical structures

 

Skills

  • Perform advanced atraumatic and traumatic surgical techniques in advanced fracture management including;
    • Fracture classification, fracture healing and absolute and relative stability
    • Principles of using pin and cerclage, plates and screws, external fixator methods
    • Implant selection
    • Fracture management and surgical techniques for diaphyseal fractures, joint related fractures, pelvic fractures, fractures in growing animals, Salter-Harris fractures
    • Arthrodesis and fracture complications
  • Risk assessment after surgery with focus on treatment effect, complications and estimation of prognosis.

 

Competences

  • Evaluate, plan and manage a diagnostic work-up for a patient with a complex history within companion animal advanced fracture disorders.
  • Plan advanced therapy/procedures for companion animal orthopaedic surgery patients with advanced fractures.
  • Independently obtain, evaluate and elaborate on evidence-based new knowledge within companion animal orthopaedic surgery of patients with advanced fractures.
  • Collaborate and communicate within and between specialist and non-specialist peers and laypersons involved in companion animal surgical patient fracture management.