Surgery begins long before the first incision

05/02/2026

At the TuVECCA Congress in Turkiye, Nicola Katic shared a clear message for clinical practice: good surgery starts long before the scalpel touches tissue.

Katic argued that “being able to cut” is not what defines a surgeon. Instead, the surgeon’s role is decision-making and patient stewardship from the first moment to the last—stabilizing the patient, choosing the right intervention, and following the full process through recovery. He summarized this mindset with a well-known principle: a good surgeon can cut, a better one knows when to cut, and the best one knows when not to cut—because not every case is solved with a scalpel.

When asked about common mistakes in bleeding cases in cats and dogs, Katic underlined that these are different patients with different underlying causes. He noted that in dogs, around 50% of bleeding cases in a “hemoabdomen” context can involve bleeding from a tumor, while in cats, other causes may be higher on the list than tumors. Across both species, his core prevention point was straightforward: mastery of anatomy is essential. If clinicians know where vessels are, they are better positioned to control hemorrhage effectively—making anatomy the foundation of surgical competence.

Katic also highlighted a technology he sees as increasingly valuable in veterinary operating rooms: ICG (indocyanine green) dye with near-infrared imaging. He described it as a tool that supports real-time recognition of structures during surgery—helping surgeons visualize features such as the gallbladder, tumors, lymphatics, and sentinel lymph nodes. In his view, this type of imaging can expand intraoperative decision-making by providing immediate guidance on what the surgeon is dealing with.

In his closing remarks, Katic said this was his second time at TuVECCA and praised the congress for bringing together highly motivated participants. He also pointed to the event’s social dimension, citing activities such as a charity run connected to forest support, as a sign that the congress addresses broader societal concerns alongside veterinary medicine.

You can watch the full exclusive interview on our official YouTube channel.