Uso do fio de cabelo como técnica experimental para treinamento de sutura em ureter de gatos

Abstract

The present study aimed to analyze the feasibility of using human hair as an economical alternative for training in ureteral microsurgery in cats, considering the technical complexity and high cost of conventional sutures. Fifty ureters obtained from necropsies of cats from the Animal Pathology Department of the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia were used for the study. The ureters were incised in the middle third and then simple continuous sutures were performed for ureterotomy using hair. Five undergraduate students with no surgical experience and five graduate students with surgical experience but no experience with microsurgery were selected. Each operator received five ureters to perform the sutures. The time spent, fluid leakage, number of sutured samples, and manipulation of the hair threads were taken into account. The results showed a significant learning curve, with a reduction in average execution time (24.10 to 10,02 minutes, p=5.11×10⁻⁶) and a decrease in variability between operators (p=1.19×10⁻⁴). Extravasation rates decreased from 74.6% to 15.8% (p=0.0045), with each attempt reducing the probability of leakage by 1.99 times. At the end of the training, only 20% of operators had leakage, compared to 90% at the beginning. Initially challenging for 80% of participants, the use of magnifying glasses was considered beneficial by all at the end. The study confirms human hair as a viable and economical alternative for training in ureteral microsurgery in cats, promoting technical skills and confidence for complex procedures.