Both the Animal Welfare Act (PDF: 1,616 KB) and the Department of Health and Human Services have written, minimum "standards" for providing care before, during and after surgical procedures. A project that involves more than momentary or slight pain or distress must involve the veterinarian, in the planning stage!
The University Animal Welfare Committee (UAWC) is responsible for supervising the use of animals at the institution and has authorized the attending veterinarian to oversee all surgical procedures. The veterinarian must have access to animals and ensure that daily observations of the animals are performed by qualified individuals. There must be routine inspections of sites where surgical procedures are conducted. The UAWC is required to stop any research project wherein non-compliance is suspected.
Surgical Personnel
Surgical support personnel from the Office of Veterinary Resources (OVR) are available to assist research staff. The charge for this service is nominal when compared to the cost of hiring research support staff. The exact makeup of a particular surgical team is a decision made by the principle investigator in consultation with the attending veterinarian. The UAWC must approve the list of personnel before the research project may begin and investigators must notify the UAWC as new personnel are added to the project.
What is meant by Major Surgery?
Any surgical intervention that penetrates and exposes a body cavity; any procedure that has the potential for inducing permanent anatomic (physical) or physiologic impairment and/or any procedure associated with orthopedics or extensive tissue dissection or transection.
Major survival surgery for non-rodent mammals such as rabbits or nonhuman primates, must be performed in dedicated facilities specifically designed, operated, and maintained for that purpose. Cold-blooded vertebrate and rodent surgeries may be performed aseptically in a clean, non-dedicated room or laboratory. Surgical procedures on wild animals, both major and minor may be performed in the field but aseptic principles must be followed. The UAWC determines the appropriate site for specific operative procedures.
Minor surgery encompasses a wide range of different procedures that share a few general qualities, such as:
- Can be performed without general anesthesia
- Don’t pose a serious health risk to the patient
- Take a shorter amount of time, generally under an hour
Because minor surgical procedures can be performed without the extensive staff and mechanics of a hospital, many patients elect to have minor surgeries performed at their doctor’s office.
The offices of VCM Family Medicine are equipped to accommodate a variety of surgical procedures, such as suture removal, incision and drainage of abscesses, and cryotherapy for wart removal.
What is suture removal?
Sutures are the material that’s used to close up a wound and accelerate healing after a surgical procedure. Sutures are commonly referred to as “stitches,” which is actually the name of the medical procedure of applying the sutures.
While some people opt to remove their sutures at home, it’s a risky move that could lead to infection or damage to your tissue. It’s always safer to let a professional like Dr. Medimpudi administer the procedure. She can determine if it’s actually time to remove your sutures, and can also spot signs of infection, wound closure, and proper healing.
When you come in to VCM Family Medicine for your suture removal, Dr. Medimpudi sterilizes your suture site, then uses sterilized tweezers and surgical scissors to “slip and snip” your sutures. She then cleans your incision area and applies adhesive strips to keep it protected while it finishes healing.
What is incision and drainage?
Incision and drainage is a minor surgical procedure that treats abscesses.
An abscess is a consolidated collection of pus, debris, and bacteria, almost like a pimple. They can show up in numerous places on your body, like your armpit, the base of your spine, or your groin. If your abscess is larger than a half-inch in diameter, continues to get bigger, or is accompanied by a fever, you should schedule a visit with Dr. Medimpudi to get it incised and drained right away.
When you come in for your incision and drainage procedure, Dr. Medimpudi administers a local anesthetic to tissue around your abscess, sterilizes the area, and makes a small incision in the abscess, through which she drains the pus within. She then places a bandage over the wound area and sends you home with pain relief pills and an oral antibiotic to make sure the infection is eradicated.
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is a minor surgical procedure that Dr. Medimpudi administers to remove warts.
A wart is a small, fleshy bump that looks like a blister or has a “cauliflower” texture. They’re caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can spread to other areas of the body if left untreated.
With cryotherapy, Dr. Medimpudi freezes off your wart by applying liquid nitrogen with a cotton swab or a “cryogun.” The liquid nitrogen can reach temperatures as low as -320 °F, which effectively kills the wart tissue.
The procedure will cause a scab to form around the wart, which falls off about a week later. Dr. Medimpudi gives your more detailed aftercare instructions, but in general you should try to keep the area clean and not pick at the scab.
To learn more about the minor surgical procedures offered by Dr. Medimpudi at VCM Family Medicine, schedule a consultation today by calling the office or booking online.