128 VAGINAL OVARIOTOMY IN THE MARE. 



DANGERS. 



Wounding of the rectum is scarcely possible under the 

 first method if care is taken not to attempt the incision until 

 the vagina is well "ballooned," and then making the stab 

 wound directly forward. If made upwards when the organ 

 is so erected the accident is highly probable, and with the 

 undilated vagina where it is necessary to cut upwards the 

 danger is ever present. Its prevention demands that in the 

 first method, the operator await the complete " ballooning " 

 and then make his incision as directed. In the second 

 method, the accident is to be prevented by being careful tO' 

 push the vagina down away from the rectum and hold it 

 away while the incision is being made. If the wound in the 

 rectum passes through the pelvic connective tissue behind 

 the peritoneum it is of little consequence, but the operation 

 should be abandoned ; if the bowel is opened into the 

 peritoneal cavity the accident is generally fatal. 



Wounding of the iliac arteries, which generally pro- 

 duces prompt death from hemorrhage, results from the in- 

 cision being made upwards instead of forwards when the 

 vagina is " ballooned " or from a failure to hold the roof of 

 the vagina down and away from the part while making the 

 incision in the flaccid organ as is the case with the recumbent 

 animal under anaesthesia. It is most likely to occur with 

 timid operators who become nervous, especially when the 

 vagina does not " balloon " promptly or the mare is not well 

 secured. The accident is wholly unnecessary if the operator 

 will await the " ballooning " in the first operation while by 

 the second method it is prevented by proper care in holding 

 the vagina downward and forward during the incision. 

 When it has occurred it is generally beyond remedy though 

 in some cases the prompt intravenous injection of adrenaline 

 chloride may stay the hemorrhage and save life of the 

 patient. 



