Brachial plexus anesthesia of tegus (Salvator merianae): anatomical and technical aspects

• Grant number: 16/12868-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Adriano Bonfim Carregaro
• Grantee: Raíssa Casteliani Marinho Falcão
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe the brachial plexus of tegus (Salvator merianae) through dissection of corpses and the evaluation of the brachial plexus anesthesia with 2% lidocaine or 0.5% bupivacaine. Three corpses will be used for the description of the brachial plexus. The dissection of tegus' forelimb will be done by scalpel and round-point scissors to observe the origin and distribution of the brachial plexus nerve branches. Afterwards, a 22G needle will be used to inject methylene blue into the forelimb, near to the brachial plexus, and through the best access established on the dissection. To the second stage of this study, for the evaluation of the loco-regional anesthetic block, six adult tegus will be used. Animals will be considered clinically healthy through physical examination and laboratory tests (CBC and biochemical test), and they will be randomly assigned to one out of two experimental groups: 2% lidocaine (LIDO) and 0.5% bupivacaine (BUPI). A 21G nerve-locator needle will be used to inject equal volume of both treatments, and the latency period and block duration will be determined through pressure and electrical stimuli. It is expected that the results could be determine the best access to execute properly doses of lidocaine or bupivacaine on the brachial plexus, inhibiting the local sensibility of the patient and make this technique part of the anesthetic protocol for surgery and postoperative analgesia in tegus.