Page 6 - Clinical Connections - Autumn 2025

RVC RESEARCH STUDY VETERINARY SERVICES RVC.AC.UK
Cardiothoracic Surgery
CARDIOTHORACIC SURGERY SERVICE
PASSES 20-YEAR MILESTONE

The Cardiothoracic Surgery team

t is two decades since the RVC started Medicine Service and Blood Donor Early cases
offering pioneering – and often lifesaving Programme were foundations enabling the The first patient to benefit from the service
I – surgery to help dogs with complex Cardiothoracic Surgery Service to emerge. was a dog called Monty, who was treated, in
heart conditions. This service is now one The blood transfusion requirements have January 2005, for tricuspid valve dysplasia.
of the leading centres in the world for changed significantly over the decades. Though the surgery was successful, the
cardiothoracic surgery and continues to Initially each dog required two or three units team recognised that developing surgical
evolve. of fresh whole blood but now patients, which expertise for different cardiac disorders
The Cardiothoracic Surgery Service are typically smaller and primarily mitral would take time.
was established by Dan Brockman, who valve disease cases, only require packed Between 2005 and 2012 one patient a
joined the RVC in 2000. When Professor red cells. month was scheduled, primarily tricuspid
Brockman first arrived, there was limited Cardiopulmonary bypass equipment also valve replacements, pulmonic stenosis
intensive care provision but with the support was required to get the service off the ground surgery and double chamber right ventricle
of Professor David Church, Amanda Boag and an experienced NHS perfusionist, Alan surgery.
and others, including dedicated veterinary Akins, joined the team. Later, when Alan
nurses, an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with retired, Nigel Cross, a paediatric perfusionist
round the clock staffing was established. from Great Ormond Street Hospital, joined
The ICU and the (also new) Transfusion the team.

2001 to 2004
The Critical Care Service
and Intensive Care Unit were
established, by Dez Hughes.

The Transfusion Medicine Service
was formalised by 2004, led by 2005 to 2011
Gill Gibson and Amanda Boag. One case a month was scheduled.

2000 2005 2012 to 2015
Dan Brockman joined the The RVC Cardiothoracic Surgery Between 2012 and 2015 a surgical team
RVC, having previously Service was established. A dog called from Japan visited the RVC to operate
worked at the University Monty with tricuspid valve dysplasia on dogs with mitral valve disease.
of Pennsylvania’s School was the first patient, in January 2005.
of Veterinary Medicine, In 2015 The RVC team did its first
which had been working towards mitral valve repair without support from
a cardiothoracic surgery service. surgeons from Japan.

6 Autumn 2025