Key Information
CPD Hours: 12 hours (4 hours for the recorded webinars and 8 hours for the practical day)
Course Length: See above
Course Format: Four hours of pre-recorded webinars, followed by a full-day onsite
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Course Information
Key Areas
- Confidently recognise and navigate the surgical anatomy of the stifle joint
- Perform medial and lateral parapatellar arthrotomies step by step
- Inspect the menisci effectively and decide when and how to resect
- Place extracapsular sutures to stabilise cruciate-deficient stifles
- Assess which surgical options are most appropriate for patellar luxation
- Carry out corrective techniques to successfully manage patellar luxation
- Perform joint taps and interpret cytology
- Review stifle radiographs to optimise your imaging
- Know what to do if you’re uncertain of the diagnosis
- Understand when to refer and when to operate yourself
Do you want to perform surgery for cruciate disease and patellar luxation—without needing costly orthopaedic kits?
This blended course combines online learning with a full day of practical teaching, designed to give you the confidence and capability to tackle these common conditions in general practice.
- Online recorded webinars: Covering the essential theory, diagnosis (including joint taps, cytology, and radiographic review), and the surgical techniques required before stepping into theatre.
- Onsite practical day: Practise your surgical skills under expert guidance using plastic bones and cadaver limbs, reinforced by case-based discussions and decision-making scenarios (what to do if you are unsure, when to refer, when to operate yourself).
By the end of the course, you will not only understand the principles of cruciate and patellar surgery but also be able to apply them confidently in your own practice.
Why do this course?
This course is ideal for both those who are relatively new to surgery and experienced vets looking to refine their techniques. It offers practical and cost-effective approaches to managing two of the most common orthopaedic issues encountered in first-opinion practice. With expert guidance and ample hands-on time for each procedure, participants can build confidence in a supportive learning environment. The skills and techniques gained can be immediately applied in clinical practice.
Tutors
Richard Meeson, MA VetMB PhD MVetMed DipECVS PGCertVetEd FHEA FRCVS
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Head of Orthopaedics
The Royal Veterinary College
Rhiannon Strickland, BVetMed MVetMed PGCertVetEd DipECVS FHEA MRCVS
Lecturer in Small Animal Surgery
The Royal Veterinary College
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