Veterinary Specialist Centre One Of Few With Dedicated Zeiss Microscope
6 years ago 
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Northwest Veterinary Specialists (NWVS) is one of just a few veterinary hospitals in the EU to have equipped its neurology department with a dedicated Zeiss neurosurgical microscope.
Specialists at the Cheshire-based referral centre will use the new technology during complex spinal and brain surgery.
The microscope has already been used on a number of cases, including intervertebral disc extrusions on all parts of the canine and feline spine, and even on the tail of two dogs.
The operating microscope allows neurology specialists to access the vertebral canal to remove offending extruding or protruding intervertebral disc material, while minimising manipulation of the nervous tissues.
Luca Motta DVM (Hons) Dip ECVN MRCVS and Massimo Mariscoli DVM DipECVN MRCVS, who both recently joined Northwest Veterinary Specialists to expand the neurology team and support the centre’s continually increasing caseload, are two of the specialists who will be making use of the new equipment.
“The dedicated Zeiss microscope offers excellent illumination and customisable options for surgeons to perform complex and invasive procedures on the spine and brain, while minimising risk to the animal,” said Luca.
“This technology is used for these types of surgeries in humans, who are way bigger than our small animals. So why not use this equipment to carry out neurosurgery in small animals and push surgical boundaries beyond what seems possible.
“The microscope is enhancing our precision and vision during surgery and we are able to reduce stress on the spine and brain of our patients, minimising intra-operative complications.
“Most of our patients undergoing spinal surgeries for intervertebral disc extrusion recover well and are discharged just a few days after the procedure.”
The microscope has also been used for de-bulking brain and spinal surgeries and to correct developmental spinal disorders, including subarachnoid diverticula and meningocele.
Liz Cousins, hospital manager at Northwest Veterinary Specialists, said: “It is fantastic to have such an innovative piece of technology in our neurology department.
“In the last 12 months, we’ve been making significant investment in our facilities and people, and the microscope is another key asset for our highly skilled and experienced neurology team.”
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