Foundational Canine Ultrasound-guided Regional Anaesthesia (CURA) Workshop

Course fee

Early bird

£1480

Available until 12 March 2027

Standard fee

£1820

Available from 12 March 2027

Overview

This two-day workshop is designed for veterinarians who want to develop, consolidate, or refine their use of canine ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia for perioperative pain management.

The theoretical component reviews the foundations of regional anaesthesia alongside advanced clinical considerations, including case selection, technique planning, procedural safety, and management of complications. The practical component allows delegates to develop their ultrasound-guided skills under the supervision of experienced clinicians in the field.

Intended audience

Designed for veterinary surgeons in general practice, as well as specialists and specialists-in-training with an interest in anaesthesia, analgesia, perioperative care, emergency and critical care, or pain management.

It is particularly relevant for clinicians wishing to develop or refine their use of ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia in dogs, with emphasis on clinical decision-making, procedural safety, and supervised practical training in techniques increasingly incorporated into contemporary perioperative analgesic practice.

Live online lectures covering core and advanced principles

Supervised cadaver-based practical training

Previous ultrasound experience encouraged, not essential

Limited enrolment to support small group teaching

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, delegates will be better equipped to:

Select appropriate regional anaesthetic techniques based on the procedure, patient and analgesic goals

Identify relevant anatomy and sonoanatomy, and optimise ultrasound image acquisition and needle guidance

Apply safe principles of local anaesthetic use, equipment selection, procedural workflow and complication management

Integrate the techniques covered into perioperative pain management, including block assessment and rescue analgesia

Course content

Day 1- Live Lectures

Program introduction

Ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia and

its role in multimodal perioperative analgesia

Local anaesthetics in clinical practice

Coffee break – 15 min

Head

Maxillary nerve block
Retrobulbar/peribulbar nerve block
Trigeminal nerve block (temporal versus coronoid approach)

Ultrasound fundamentals for regional anaesthesia

Practical workflow and procedural safety

Needles and catheters for regional anaesthesia

Clinical decision-making for ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia in dogs

Clinical management of epidural catheters in dogs

Recognition, prevention, and management of potential complications

Lunch break – 45 min

Day 2 - Practical training

A full day dedicated to supervised practical training, with all procedures performed under ultrasound guidance. A detailed schedule will be provided to delegates in advance.

Coffee break – 15 min

Assessment of block efficacy, failed blocks, and rescue analgesia

Integration of key regional anaesthetic techniques

into perioperative pain management plans – Part I

Integration of key regional anaesthetic techniques

into perioperative pain management plans – Part II

Thoracic Limb

Brachial plexus block
Proximal RUMM block
Distal RUMM block

Thorax

Serratus plane block
Intercostal nerve block
Erector spinae plane block

Abdomen and Lumbar Region

Quadratus lumborum block
TAP block: Subcostal and lateral approach
Lumbar erector spinae plane block

Pelvic Limb

Sciatic nerve block
- Neural approach
- Interfascial approach
Saphenous nerve block

Epidural Techniques

Lumbosacral epidural injection
Sacrococcygeal epidural injection
Epidural catheter placement and securement

Venue & Participants

The practical workshop is planned to take place at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom.

Delegate numbers are limited to support small-group teaching, close supervision and meaningful hands-on experience during the practical session.

Meet the faculty

Lecture Faculty

Faculty delivering the lecture-based component of the course

Roger Medina-Serra

LV, MVetMed, PhD, DipECVAA, MRCVS

ACVAA Pain Management – Founding Fellow

RCVS and ECVAA® European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Alfonso Rodriguez-Mulet

LV, MVetMed, DipECVAA, MRCVS

RCVS and ECVAA® European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Alvaro Gutiérrez-Bautista

DVM, MsC, PhD, DiplECVAA

EBVS® European Specialists in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Massimiliano Degani

DVM, MsC, PhD

Alejandra García de Carellán Mateo

LV, MVetMed, Acr. AVEPA GAVA, ifevet PGCert. Anest. Dipl. ECVAA

EBVS® European Specialists in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Eliseo Belda-Mellado

LV, MSc, PhD, Acred. AVEPA in Anesthesia and Analgesia

Miguel A. Cabezas

LV, Acred (AVEPA) Anestesia y Analgesia

Francisco Laredo-Álvarez

LV, PhD, Acred (AVEPA) Anestesia y Analgesia, CertVA, MRCVS

Elena Ríos-Álvarez

LV, DipECVAA

EBVS® European Specialists in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia

Practical workshop Faculty