COMPUTERIZED DOG LAB FOR TEACHING CARDIOVASCULAR PHYSIOLOGY TO FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Kurtis G. Cornish* and Irving H. Zucker. Dept. of Integrative and Cellular Physiology, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-5850. U.S.A

PURPOSE: This laboratory objective is to provide the students with an experience similar to that provided through animal labs but without using animals.

METHODS: Dogs were chronically instrumented to demonstrate cardiovascular function and reflexes. This included aortic, left atrial and left ventricular catheters (LV), aortic and coronary flow probes, inferior vena cava, coronary artery and aortic occluders and in some instances LV dimension crystals. The instrumentation allowed demonstration of the cardiac cycle and the direct and reflex responses to various interventions in conscious animals. The interventions included increasing and decreasing preload and afterload with drugs or vascular occluders, injecting an alpha or beta agonist, nitroglycerine or veratradine into the left atria. Reactive hyperemia was demonstrated with coronary occlusion. The data were recorded with the Power Lab system (ADInstruments).

RESULTS: Data were obtained over a period of years, negating the need for animals. Some additional animals were prepared to fill gaps. The data were organized in a html format allowing the playback of avi files or figures showing the response to the intervention. For more advanced analysis the Chart 5 program (ADI) was used.

CONCLUSION: This lab has repeatedly been very highly evaluated by the students. They appreciate observing the integration of the cardiovascular system without the necessity of using animals for their “educational use.” Such a demonstration can replace the experience previously obtained with live animal labs. However, it is the opinion of the authors that such educational tools will never completely duplicate the educational experience obtained in animal labs.