Thomas Witte
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Tom is a Lecturer in Equine Surgery. Recognised as an RCVS, American and European Specialist, his clinical interests include head and neck surgery and minimally invasive surgery. His research focuses on the biomechanics and control of the locomotor system and upper respiratory tract.
Biography
Tom qualified from The Royal Veterinary College in 2000. After a year in first opinion equine and farm animal practice (Garston Veterinary Group, Frome, Somerset) Tom returned to the Structure and Motion Lab at the Royal Veterinary College to complete a Horserace Betting Levy Board funded PhD in Equine Biomechanics, with a focus on the locomotor capacity of performance horses. A subsequent move to the USA enabled him to undertake an Internship in Equine Surgery at the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Kentucky and a Residency in Large Animal Surgery at the Cornell University Hospital for Animals in New York State.
After a role as Emergency Surgeon at the Equine Hospital of the Vetsuisse Fakultät, University of Bern in Switzerland, Tom is back at the RVC to pursue his clinical and research interests. Tom is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Research
Tom developed an interest in the biomechanics of the equine athlete whilst an undergraduate in Veterinary Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC). During this time, he undertook research into the effects of shoe material on the biomechanics of foot-off in the horse.
Subsequently, his Horserace Betting Levy Board-funded PhD focused on the constraints to high-speed locomotion in the racehorse, and involved the development and validation of a suite of tools for determining limb load, trunk motion and animal velocity. These techniques enable the locomotion of a variety of species, including the horse, ostrich and camel, to be measured under ‘natural’ field conditions and form the basis of ongoing work at the Structure and Motion Lab. Key questions regarding the limitations to high-speed locomotion in the equine athlete, and how these relate to injury risk, remain unanswered, and these will be the main focus of Tom's ongoing research at the RVC.
Upper respiratory tract diseases can result in critical performance limitations across all equine athletic disciplines. During his residency, Tom's research work at the Cornell University Equine Performance Testing Clinic focused on the biomechanics of surgical techniques for the treatment of dynamic upper respiratory tract obstruction. Tom aims to continue to work in this area via collaborations with other workers at the RVC.
Teaching
Tom enjoys teaching at all levels, from undergraduate veterinary students through to post-graduate clinical training scholars and continuing professional development (CPD) courses. He is actively involved in teaching on the BVetSci and BVetMed courses, and is module leader for the Equine Surgery Rotation. He also contributes to the teaching of communication skills to pre-clinical and clinical students as a facilitator of practical sessions involving role-playing actors.
Clinical
Tom's clinical interests lie in the area of general (soft tissue) surgery, including Equine, Farm Animal and Camelid species. In particular, through working at the Cornell University Equine Performance Testing Clinic he has developed a keen interest in upper respiratory tract surgery, particularly minimally invasive trans-endoscopic laser surgeries.
Selected Publications
See also: scholar.google.co.uk/citations
Intra-lesional insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) injection for the treatment of superficial digital flexor tendonitis in Thoroughbred racehorses: 40 cases (2000-2005) T.H. Witte, A.E. Yeager and A.J. Nixon (2011) 239(7), 992-997
Early diagnosis may hold the key to successful treatment of nasal and paranasal sinus neoplasia in the horse T.H. Witte & J.D. Perkins (2011) Equine Veterinary Education 23(9), 441-447
Fungal sinusitis resulting in suspected trigeminal neuropathy as a cause of headshaking in five horses A.R. Fiske-Jackson, P.J. Pollock, T.H. Witte, L. Woolford & J.D. Perkins (2011) (Published online, Equine Veterinary Education)
Association of owner-reported noise with findings during dynamic respiratory endoscopy in Thoroughbred racehorses Witte SHP, Witte TH, Harriss F, Kelly G & Pollock P. Equine Vet J. 2011 Jan;43(1):9-17. doi:10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00152.x. PubMed PMID: 21143628.
The complex role of veterinary clinical teachers: how is their role perceived and what is expected of them? Bolt DM, Witte TH, Lygo-Baker S. J Vet Med Educ. 2010 Winter;37(4):388-94. PubMed PMID: 21135407.
Equine Laryngoplasty Sutures Undergo Increased Loading During Coughing and Swallowing. Witte TH, Cheetham J, Soderholm LV, Mitchell LM, Ducharme NG.
Vet Surg. 2010 Dec;39(8):949-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2010.00742.x. Epub 2010
Nov 2. PubMed PMID: 21044095.
A transducer for measuring force on surgical sutures Witte TH, Cheetham J, Rawlinson JJ, Soderholm LV, Ducharme NG. Can J Vet Res. 2010 Oct;74(4):299-304. PubMed PMID: 21197230; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2949343.
Cytokine and catabolic enzyme expression in synovium, synovial fluid and articular cartilage of naturally osteoarthritic equine carpi. Kamm JL, Nixon AJ, Witte TH.
Equine Vet J. 2010 Nov;42(8):693-9. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00140.x. Epub 2010 Sep 14.
Racing performance after combined prosthetic laryngoplasty and ipsilateral ventriculocordectomy or partial arytenoidectomy: 135 Thoroughbred racehorses competing at less than 2400 m (1997-2007). Witte TH, Mohammed HO, Radcliffe CH, Hackett RP, Ducharme NG. Equine Vet J. 2009 Jan;41(1):70-5. PubMed PMID: 19301585.
In vitro model for testing novel implants for equine laryngoplasty. Cheetham J, Witte TH, Soderholm LV, Hermanson JW, Ducharme NG. Vet Surg. 2008 Aug;37(6):588-93. PubMed PMID: 19134110.
Intra-articular stabilisation of the equine cricoarytenoid joint. Cheetham J, Witte TH, Rawlinson JJ, Soderholm LV, Mohammed HO, Ducharme NG. Equine Vet J. 2008 Sep;40(6):584-8. PubMed PMID: 18487098.
Gene therapy in musculoskeletal repair. Nixon AJ, Goodrich LR, Scimeca MS, Witte TH, Schnabel LV, Watts AE, Robbins PD. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2007 Nov;1117:310-27. Review. PubMed PMID: 18056051.
Effect of speed on stride parameters in racehorses at gallop in field conditions. Witte TH, Hirst CV, Wilson AM. J Exp Biol. 2006 Nov;209(Pt 21):4389-97. PubMed PMID: 17050854.
Centre of mass movement and mechanical energy fluctuation during gallop locomotion in the Thoroughbred racehorse. Pfau T, Witte TH, Wilson AM. J Exp Biol. 2006 Oct;209(Pt 19):3742-57. PubMed PMID: 16985191.
A method for deriving displacement data during cyclical movement using an inertial sensor. Pfau T, Witte TH, Wilson AM. J Exp Biol. 2005 Jul;208(Pt 13):2503-14. PubMed PMID: 15961737.
Accuracy of WAAS-enabled GPS for the determination of position and speed over ground. Witte TH, Wilson AM. J Biomech. 2005 Aug;38(8):1717-22. PubMed PMID: 15958230.
Accuracy of non-differential GPS for the determination of speed over ground. Witte TH, Wilson AM. J Biomech. 2004 Dec;37(12):1891-8. PubMed PMID: 15519597.
Determination of peak vertical ground reaction force from duty factor in the horse (Equus caballus). Witte TH, Knill K, Wilson AM. J Exp Biol. 2004 Oct;207(Pt 21):3639-48. PubMed PMID: 15371472.