154 BOVINE OBSTETEICS 



Direction arid Degree of Torsion. — Botation of the gravid 

 uterus on its long axis may be to the right or left. Revolutions 

 to the right predominate. By twisting from left to right, or, 

 simply, right torsion, we understand a change in the position 

 of the uterus, where the superior wall becomes the lateral wall 

 and finally the inferior wall of the uterus. Left torsion repre- 

 sents the reverse movement. (Harms, Franck and others.) 



When the upper wall has become the right lateral wall, it 

 is a torsion of 90 degrees, or quarter torsion. Should the 

 upper wall continue to rotate from here (right side), so that it 

 becomes the lower wall, it is termed a torsion of 180 degrees, 

 or half torsion. When now the upper wall of the uterus con- 

 tinues to revolve, until it reaches the left abdominal region of 

 the cow — that is, becomes the left lateral wall of the uterus — 

 the torsion is one of 270 degrees, or three-quarter torsion, to 

 the right. After the upper wall has made these rotations to 

 the right successively, and again regains its original position — 

 that is, becomes the upper uterine wall once more — a torsion 

 of 360 degrees, or a complete rotation to the right, has taken 

 place. A torsion beyond 270 degrees will rarely occur, as it 

 exceeds the limit of elasticity of the broad uterine ligaments, 

 followed possibly by rupture. In the majority of cases result- 

 ing in complete recovery after untwisting the uterus, torsion at 

 the utmost amounted to 360 degrees. 



Rotation of the uterus renders the broad ligaments tense. 

 Any revolution beyond 90 degrees contracts the cervix uteri. 



Although the possibility cannot be denied that a revolu- 

 tion of the uterus itself may occur without involving the vagina, 

 such cases must be rare. The vagina mostly rotates at the 

 same time ; on exploration per vaginam, spirals or cords the 

 result of torsion are felt. 



Circulatory disturbances in the vascular territory of the 

 uterus may arise as a result of torsion ; but they are limited 

 when rotation does not exceed 90 degrees. The veins, on 

 account of their thin walls, are the first to be unfavorably 

 influenced; their lumen decreases and the return flow of the 

 blood is interfered with. Since the uterine circulation is very 



