Anaesthesia: what’s new in…

I obtained my DrMedVet degree in 1992, and a DrVetSci (PhD equivalent; clinical pharmacology) in 1999, from the University of Liege, Belgium. I completed a residency in anesthesia at the University of California, Davis (1999-2002) and obtained board certification by the ACVAA in 2003. I have since been working at the University of California, Davis, initially as a clinical instructor in anesthesia (2002-2004), then as an Assistant (2004-2007), Associate (2007-2010) and Full Professor (2010-present). I was also appointed as Chair of the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences (2016-present). My research focuses on the clinical pharmacology of anesthetic and analgesic agents, particularly in cats.

Dr Sarah Bigby graduated with Honours from the University of Sydney in 2009. After working in general practice and internships she undertook a residency in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the University of Melbourne from 2013-2016. Sarah completed a Master of Veterinary Studies and a Master of Veterinary Science during her residency researching the effects of rate of administration of propofol and alfaxalone on respiration. Dr Bigby completed her ACVAA exams in 2019 and is a Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia. Since completing her residency, Sarah has worked in the UK and Australia in University and private practice and is particularly interested in using local nerve block techniques and TIVA protocols to improve anaesthesia quality.

Laureato a Padova con lode, ha completato un residency in anestesia veterinaria all’Animal Health Trust a Newmarket. Ha conseguito il Diploma Europeo in Anestesia ed Analgesia Veterinaria nel 2003, e un PhD presso la facolta’ di Medicina di Cambridge nel 2011. Ha lavorato come ricercatore confermato presso la Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria dell’Università di Padova, anestesista clinico all’Animal Health Trust e Clinical Research Fellow presso il dipartimento di Anestesia dell’Università di Cambridge (Facoltà di medicina). Da Luglio 2008 a Luglio 2022 ha coordinato il servizio di anestesia del centro di referenza Dick White Referrals, presso il quale ha lavorato fino a Gennaio 2023. Dal 2009 al 2022 ha fatto parte del management della clinica. È stato presidente di SIATAV, board member e Presidente poi del College Europeo di Anestesia e Analgesia Veterinaria e coordinatore del gruppo di studio di anestesia Veterinaria all’interno di SIAARTI. Dal 2020 è Clinical Professor in Anestesia e Analgesia Veterinaria all’Università di Nottingham e nel 2021 il Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons gli ha conferito lo stato di Fellow (FRCVS) per i meriti nell’avanzare le conoscenze nell’ambito clinico dell'anestesia veterinaria. È autore di più di 40 pubblicazioni su riviste internazionali indicizzate, ha pubblicato un manuale di anestesia ed è stato autore di 3 capitoli in altrettanti testi.

Nicola Di Girolamo is an associate professor of Exotic Pet Medicine at Cornell University. Before moving to the United States, Nicola was employed as a veterinary specialist in Hong Kong and as a resident in Rome, Italy. He completed a PhD at the University of Bologna and a master of science in evidence-based healthcare at the University of Oxford. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Small Animal Practice and of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine. Nicola is board-certified from the American College of Zoological Medicine, the European College of Zoological Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine.

Dra. Eva Rioja Garcia obtained her Veterinary Degree at the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain, in 2000 and then completed a PhD at the same University in 2004. In 2005 she started a residency in Anaesthesia and Analgesia at the Ontario Veterinary College, Canada, and became Diplomate ACVAA in 2009. After 1 year working as a clinical anaesthetist at the Ontario Veterinary College, she moved to South Africa in 2010 and worked as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Pretoria. In 2013 she moved to England and worked as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool until 2017. Since 2017 Eva has worked in a few private referral Hospitals in England as an Anaesthesia and Analgesia specialist. Currently she is working at Optivet Referrals as the Head of Anaesthesia and Clinical Lead, position held since 2018. Eva has published many peer reviewed articles relating to anaesthesia and analgesia of several species, has published 2 anaesthesia books as an Editor and Author, has also written a few book chapters in some of the main reference books in Veterinary Anaesthesia such as the Lumb and Jones or BSAVA manual. She has also written a few other book chapters including one in an Equine surgery book. Eva is frequently invited as a speaker to courses and congreses, including Spain, Chile or Peru. Currently Eva is the President of the Spanish Association of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia (SEAAV). 

Si laurea presso l’Università degli Studi di Parma nel 2005. Dopo la laurea inizia a lavorare in strutture private sviluppando da subito particolare interesse per l’anestesiologia. Nel 2017 ottiene il Certificate of Advanced Veterinary Practice in Veterinary Anaesthesia, nel 2018 si diploma al College Europeo di Anestesia e Analgesia Veterinaria e nel 2019 ottiene lo stesso diploma per il College Americano. Attualmente è responsabile dell’unità operativa di Anestesia della Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa- Anicura. I suoi principali interessi includono l’anestesia nel paziente cardiopatico e sottoposto a chirurgia cardiaca e l’anestesia nelle emergenze. È autrice di diverse pubblicazioni su riviste internazionali, membro dell’Editorial Board del Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine e membro del Comitato Scientifico di UNISVET.

He graduated, in Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Bari, Italy in 2002. In 2005 he completed a PhD project regarding biotechnology applied to organ transplantation and integrated cellular therapies in oncology. From 2005 to 2009 he completed a residency program in veterinary anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania, PA, USA. Since 2005 he was first assistant and then associate (2015) professor of Veterinary Surgery at the Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation of the University of Bari, Italy. He is full time dedicated to teaching, clinical and experimental research. His main fields of research are: experimental animal models of ALI/ARDS, pulmonary atelectasis and its treatment during anesthesia in small and large animals, non invasive ventilation in small animal patients, pain and its treatment in small and large animals, treatment of osteoarthritis in veterinary patients and loco-regional analgesia. He has more than 100 original articles published on peer reviewed international veterinary and human medicine journals, 14 book chapters in national (Italian) and international textbooks and authored a textbook about locoregional anesthetic techniques in small animals (Italian). He is the coordinator of the PhD program in “Tissue and Organ transplantations and cellular therapies” of the University of Bari.