Fernando N Amitrano

Interests

Research

Develop new surgical techniques for common surgical procedures in large animalsEquine osteoarthritis and join biomarkerEquine musculoskeletal biomechanics

Teaching

Surgical skills developmentSurgical simulationsCritical thinking skills

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Journals/Publications

• Amitrano, F. N. (2023). Evaluation of Anesthetic Skills Acquisition in Pre-graduate Veterinary Students with Different Grades of Anesthetic Experience Using Veterinary Simulation Exercises. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1254930
• Amitrano, F. N., Quiroz, L. E., Jaffe, I. R., Goetz, N. G., Coy, H. A., & Keegan, R. D. (2023). Evaluation of anesthetic skills acquisition in pre-graduate veterinary students with different grades of anesthetic experience using veterinary simulation exercises. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 10(Issue). doi:10.3389/fvets.2023.1254930
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  Background: Anesthetic skills are usually learned through continuous supervision by experienced trainers who observe, advise and challenge students. Current educational techniques rely less on live animal training and include the use of simulations and models for teaching and assessment of surgical and anesthetic skills. Objective: To evaluate the development of anesthetic skills of veterinary students having different levels of previous experience using simulation. An additional aim was to evaluate the impact of the simulation training on students with no anesthesia experience. Study design: Single group periinterventional and postinterventional study. Methods: Initial and final anesthesia simulation training recording were obtained from 53 randomly selected veterinary students. Seven faculty members blinded to previous student anesthesia experience reviewed the simulation recording and scored student performance using a rubric, results were recorded and analyzed. Results: All students participating in an anesthesia and surgery course reached higher proficiency levels on fundamental anesthesia skills regardless of their previous amount of experience with anesthesia. Simulation based learning positively influenced the final score in veterinary students having no previous anesthesia training, suggesting that it is possible for veterinary students to achieve a level of competence in anesthesia skills with simulation-based training. Main limitations: Sample size, group simulation, multiple reviewers bias. Conclusion: Students having no experience with clinical anesthesia demonstrated remarkable improvement in their skills, achieving a score that was similar to students having extensive prior clinical anesthesia experience. Despite this clear improvement students having no prior clinical anesthesia experience required more time to complete all anesthesia tasks and may require more training sessions to acquire the speed demonstrated by peers who had significant prior clinical anesthesia experience. Overall, all participants reached a higher proficiency level performing fundamental anesthesia skills at the end of the course.
• Amitrano, F. N. (2022). Long-Term Outcome of Horses Undergoing Unilateral Mandibular Condylectomy and Meniscectomy for Temporomandibular Joint Disease. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2022.898096
• Shaw, K., Henry, T., Gasperi, D. D., Brounts, S. H., & Amitrano, F. N. (2022). Standing Intraoral Extraction of the Right Mandibular Third Molar Tooth in a Cow Utilizing Tooth Sectioning.. Journal of veterinary dentistry, 39(1), 71-77. doi:10.1177/08987564211065129
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  A 2-year-old Holstein heifer presented to a university teaching hospital with an apical tooth infection of the right mandibular third molar. A standing oral extraction technique was attempted for tooth removal; however, the molar could not be delivered intact. A tooth sectioning technique was performed, and the affected molar was successfully delivered. Three months postextraction, the heifer had fully recovered, and the extraction site had healed. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first description of a tooth extraction in a cow using a tooth sectioning technique. This case describes an alternative technique for tooth removal in cattle with an apical tooth infection. The clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic features of this case may be helpful to clinicians when they approach similar cases in the future.
• Amitrano, F. N. (2016). Osteomyelitis of the medial trochlear ridge of the talus in a horse. Equine Veterinary Education, 28(6), 299-303. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12152
• Amitrano, F. N., Austin, S. M., & Kay, A. T. (2016). Osteomyelitis of the medial trochlear ridge of the talus in a horse. Equine Veterinary Education, 28(Issue 6). doi:10.1111/eve.12152
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  A 12-year-old Quarter Horse gelding was evaluated for chronic recurrent right hindlimb cellulitis and severe lameness. Chronic tibiotarsal joint sepsis and osteomyelitis of the medial trochlear ridge were diagnosed and confirmed cytologically, arthroscopically and histologically. Trauma and secondary cellulitis and chronic septic arthritis were suspected aetiological factors.
• Amitrano, F. N., Gutierrez-Nibeyro, S. D., & Schaeffer, D. J. (2016).

  Effect of Hoof boots and Toe-Extension Shoes on the Forelimb Kinetics of Horses During Walking

  . American Journal of Veterinary Research. doi:10.2460/ajvr.77.5.527
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  Abstract OBJECTIVE To determine and compare the effect of hoof boots (HBs) and shoes with a toe extension on stance duration, ground reaction force, and sole length in contact with the ground in nonlame horses during walking. ANIMALS 6 nonlame Standardbreds. PROCEDURES Force plate gait analyses of the forelimbs were performed while the horses were walking barefoot before manipulation of feet (baseline), while the horses were walking fitted with HBs, while the horses were walking shod with toe-extension shoes, and while the horses were walking barefoot after shoe removal. Horses underwent radiography of both forelimb feet to determine the sole length in contact with the ground when barefoot, wearing HBs, and shod with toe-extension shoes. Stance duration, ground reaction force, and sole length were compared among the various walking sessions. RESULTS Compared with baseline findings, stance duration increased significantly when horses were fitted with HBs (7%) or toe-extension shoes (5%). Peak forelimb ground reaction force was similar among walking sessions; however, time of braking force peak was significantly greater during the stance phase only when horses wore HBs. Also, the sole length in contact with the ground was significantly longer in horses fitted with HBs (14.3 cm) or shod with the toe-extension shoes (17.6 cm), compared with that for one of the barefoot hooves (12.7 cm). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In nonlame horses, use of HBs prolonged the stance time and time of braking force peak, which is indicative of a slower deceleration phase during limb impact with the ground. Also, the use of HBs prolonged the deceleration phase of the stride and increased the sole length in contact with the ground.
• Amitrano, F. N. (2014). Radiographic diagnosis of craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in standing equids. Equine Veterinary Education, 26(5), 255-258. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/eve.12156
• Amitrano, F. N., Gutierrez-Nibeyro, S. D., & Joslyn, S. K. (2014). Radiographic diagnosis of craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in standing equids. Equine Veterinary Education, 26(Issue 5). doi:10.1111/eve.12156
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  Summary: Radiographic evaluation of the pelvis in standing horses has been used to diagnose fractures of the pelvis, head and greater trochanter of the femur, and luxations of the coxofemoral joint. Coxofemoral luxation injuries are more common in smaller horse breeds and donkeys, but, due to their size, the standing ventrodorsal projection is not possible, as there is insufficient space to place the radiography equipment under the animal's abdomen. The objective of the study was to report the advantages and limitations of the use of an oblique radiographic projection to diagnose unilateral craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation in 3 ponies and a donkey performed with the animals standing under light sedation. All cases had severe unilateral hindlimb lameness and asymmetry of the gluteal region; 2 also had concurrent intermittent upward fixation of the patella. A standing dorsolateral 20-30° ventral oblique radiograph of the affected coxofemoral joint was performed in all cases to obtain a definitive diagnosis. Radiography of the coxofemoral joint in standing ponies and donkeys can be carried out to identify craniodorsal coxofemoral luxation avoiding the need for general anaesthesia. © 2014 EVJ Ltd.