title: Nerve stimulator-guided sciatic-femoral nerve block in raptors undergoing surgical treatment of pododermatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the nerve stimulator-guided sciatic-femoral nerve block in raptors undergoing surgical treatment of pododermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five captive raptors (Falco peregrinus) aged 6.7 ± 1.3 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. The sciatic-femoral nerve block was performed with 2% lidocaine (0.05 mL kg(-1) per nerve) as the sole intra-operative analgesic treatment. Intraoperative physiological variables were recorded every 10 minutes from endotracheal intubation until the end of anaesthesia. Assessment of intraoperative nociception was based on changes in physiological variables above baseline values, while evaluation of postoperative pain relied on species-specific behavioural indicators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sciatic-femoral nerve block was feasible in raptors and the motor responses following electrical stimulation of both nerves were consistent with those reported in mammalian species. During surgery no rescue analgesia was required. The anaesthesia plane was stable and cardiorespiratory variables did not increase significantly in response to surgical stimulation. Iatrogenic complications, namely nerve damage and local anaesthetic toxicity, did not occur. Recovery was smooth and uneventful. The duration (mean ± SD) of the analgesic effect provided by the nerve block was 130 ± 20 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sciatic-femoral nerve block as described in dogs and rabbits can be performed in raptors as well. Further clinical trials with a control groups are required to better investigate the analgesic efficacy and the safety of this technique in raptors.
authors.affiliation: Freelance Veterinarians, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: d'Ovidio
authors.affiliation: Freelance Veterinarians, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Noviello
authors.affiliation: Anaesthesiology and Pain Therapy Division, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Adami
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D058066:Digital Dermatitis / Q000601:surgery*; D046093:Falconiformes / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000662:veterinary*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008012:Lidocaine
keywords: nerve stimulator; raptors; regional anaesthesia; sciatic-femoral nerve block