On Sunday, 17 September 2017, a seminar on ventricular arrhythmias in the dog was held in Milan at the UNISVET Headquarters. The speakers of the day were Dr. Roberto Santilli (Associate Professor of Cardiology at Cornell University, NY, USA and Head of Cardiology Unit of the Malpensa Veterinary Clinic and Veterinary Hospital I Portoni Rossi) and Dr. Manuela Perego ( operative at the entrances operative units of cardiology of the Veterinary Clinic Malpensa and of the Hospital I Portoni Rossi). The day began with a review of electrocardiographic characteristics of the ventricular arrhythmias of the dog with related electrophysiological mechanisms. Relationships on the various pathologies commonly induced ventricular arrhythmias in the dog such as arrythmogenic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, chronic mitral valve disorders, and extra-systemic disorders have been reported. The day ended with the analysis of family ventricular arrhythmias and the acute and chronic therapy of these rhythm disorders.
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We are opening three positions for a specialist cardiology internship at the Malpensa Veterinary Clinic (CVM) operating unit that will commence on January 1, 2018. This internship will be preparatory and will allow selected candidates, after completion of the program, to apply for and enter the list of potential candidates for the residency program in Cardiology (ECVIM-CA Cardiology) of the CVM with start 1/1/2019.
Candidates must be graduates in Veterinary Medicine, have knowledge of English, have completed a multidisciplinary internship of 12 to 15 months or have a PhD in cardiovascular disease in dogs and cats.
Applications must be sent by email to the human resources of the Malpensa Veterinary Clinic from 6/1/2017 to 8/31/2017 (resources.umane@cvmalpensa.it) by submitting CV, motivational letter, attestation of internship or doctorate, and 1 or 2 letters of reference.
The selected candidates will then have to open the VAT for monthly payment, be in possession of professional insurance.
November 26th, 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal, Dr Roberto Santilli will partecipate to the 7th EFOMV international congress presenting four different topics:
- Syncope: diagnostic reasoning and clinical management.
- During the lecture the speaker will define the current classification of transient loss of consciousness in the dog, the clinical pictures of different syncope, the diagnostic tools and the treatment options.
- Viral Myocarditis – a very rare disease or just difficult to diagnose.
- Myocarditis are a very common heart diseases in canine and feline population. The author will define the diagnostic criteria and the role of endomyocardial biopsy to obtain samples for histological and molecular biology, helpful to define diagnosis and treatment of these disorders.
- Indications for the Holter exam. Its utility and limitations as a diagnostic test.
- Dynamic electrocardiographic examination is a widespread diagnostic tool in veterinary medicine. The author will define the utility of such a test, different algorithm to diagnose arrhythmias, to define treatment strategies and efficacy and its limitation.
- Cardiac emergencies
- The author during this lecture will describe diagnosis and treatment of the most common cardiac emergencies in veterinary patients including tachyarrhythmias, bradyarrhythmias, cardiogenic shock and acute congestive heart failure.
From 19 to 21 October 2016 Dr Roberto Santilli had been invited to the biggest russian veterinary conference held in Moscow. He lectured in the cardiology session presenting the following topics:
1) Basics of electrophysiology in small animals medicine. Pathophysiology of rhythm disturbances in small animals.
2) Pulmonary hypertension
3) Ventricular rhythm disturbances. Modern strategies in diagnostics and treatment
4) Santilli RA. Diagnosis and treatment of supraventricular arrhythmias
5) Santilli RA. Genetically caused arrhythmias in dogs.
6) Santilli RA. Seizures and syncope. Who is the chief – cardiologist or neurologist?
7) Santilli RA. The main reasons of syncope on clinical practice.
8) Etiology of myocarditis. Treatment strategies. What we can use in clinical practice and how to interpretive myocardial biopsy.
October 22nd 2016 – Dr Roberto Santilli held in Moscow a ECG workshop for a limited group of russian veterinary cardiologists.
The new electrophysiology laboratory at Cornell University in upstate New York (USA) directed by Dr Roberto Santilli, Romain Pariaut and Sydney Moise has been inaugurated. A first patient, “Bob” a Labrador Retriever, underwent to radiofrequency catheter ablation of a right posterior accessory pathway mediating a fast reciprocating tachycardia. The Cornell Lab will be assisted by Dr Roberto Santilli experienced in the field of cardiac electrophysiology gained through years of leadership of an EP laboratory at the Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa in Samarate – Varese – Italy . The Cornell EP Lab will be the only veterinarian present in North America to perform ablations of all supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias dog.
“BERTUS” a Rottweiler, male, 2 year old from Holland (NL) has been referred to the Electrophysiologic laboratory of Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa lead by Dr Roberto Santilli for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia refractory to medical treatment, to perform an endocardial mapping and possibly radiofrequency catheter ablation of the arrhythmia. During electrophysiologic study Bertus presented several episodes of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia mediated by a right postero-septal accessory pathway that was successfully eliminated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. After two days in ICU, Bertus has been discharged and went home in Holland without recurrence of tachycardia.
“Busty” an Irish Setter, male, 1 year old from Gottinger (D) was referred to the Electrophysiologic laboratory of Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa lead by Dr Roberto Santilli for frequent episodes of supraventricular tachycardia inducing periodic weakness, to perform an endocardial mapping and possibly radiofrequency catheter ablation of the underlining arrhythmic substrate. During electrophysiologic study Busty presented several episodes of atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia mediated by a right posterior accessory pathway that was successfully eliminated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. After two days in ICU, Busty has been discharged and went home in Germany without recurrence of tachycardia.
Jessy a dachshund, female, 11 years old who lives in St. Petersburg (Russia) was affected by a paroxysmal third degree atrioventricular block with frequent faintings. In Russia at the moment it is not yet possible to implant a pacemaker in dogs, therefore Ms. Natalia has decided to go by train from St. Petersburg to Moscow and then by plane together with Dr. Maria Nazarova who accompanied her to Milan. Jessy underwent a pacemaker implantation at Clinica Veterinaria Malpensa done by Dr. Roberto Santilli. Now Jessy returned to St. Petersburg to convalesce. At the moment everything is going well and Jessy has not had fainting.
From September on National Geographic Wild USA are on air several episodes of VET SCHOOL where you can follow Dr RobertoSantilli along with the rest of the team of cardiologists at Cornell University while doing interventions on several patients including Millie, in the second episode of the first series “day one “. Millie is an English bulldog with severe pulmonary valve stenosis complicated by coronary anomaly and advanced heart failure.