CHAPTER X. 



JtBDOMIWJtL OPERATIONS. 



Enterotomy and Enterectomy. 



DEFINITIONS. — Enterotomy is the surgical incision of 

 a bowel, while enterectomy signifies the excision of a section. 

 Enterorrhaphy is the suturing of an intestinal incision. In- 

 testinal approximation, — a name frequently used in intest- 

 ; nal operations, — refers to the reunion of the cut ends with 

 sutures or other appliance ; and intestinal anastomosis in- 

 dicates the joining of one part of the intestinal tube to an- 

 other. 



INDICATIONS. — The indications for these intestinal 

 operations in veterinary surgery are found chiefly, not en- 

 tirely, in the ailments of small animals, — cats and dogs. In 

 the large animals they are rarely ever executed successfully, 

 but in the small species, on the contrary, they are now -per- 

 formed with great regularity and with entirely satisfactory 

 results. In view of the possibilities of modern antisepsis the 

 practitioner of veterinary surgery can no longer dodge these 

 operations on any pretense, once a diagnosis has been made 

 with reasonable certainty of its correctness. When a for- 

 eign body or immovable fecal matter constitute an otherwise 

 incurable obstruction, the plain duty of the practitioner is 

 to operate promptly. If any damage to the intestinal walls 

 succeeds the intervention enterectomy followed by simple 

 enterorrhaphy completes the procedure, but if the tube has 

 become unviable or necrotic from pressure, then enterectomy 

 and approximation or anastomosis becomes necessary, ac- 

 cording as the lesion indicates. 



The principal indications, named in the order of their 

 importance and frequency of occurrence are :— Foreign bodies 

 lodged in the bowels. 2. Coprostasis, generally constituted 

 of agglomerated bone fragments. 3. Intussusception. 4. 

 Volvulus. 5. Intestinal strangulation. 6. Dilatations. 



1. Foreign bodies found in the intestines of domestic 

 animals vary with the species. Those common in carnivora 

 are intestinal worms, marbles, coins, pins, hair-pins, corks, 

 sponges, rags and sticks of wood ; in bovines, bezoars, hair- 



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