OPERATION FOR CLEFT PALATE 191 



For materials to be used have ready a scalpel, scis- 

 sors, tissue forceps, artery forceps, harelip pins, silk 

 sutures, needles and wire cutters (all to be sterilized 

 by boiling) ; also the necessary dressings, sterile 

 swabs and iodized collodion. 



Technic. — The edges of the cleft are "rawed" up 

 with the scalpel and the mucous membrane uniting 

 the under surface of the lip to the gums dissected 

 loose, . so that there is no tension on the lip when 

 the edges of the cleft are approximated. This is 

 the essential part of the operation. 



The edges of the cleft are then united by passing 

 the harelip pins through the wound and passing 

 the silk sutures around them in a figure of eight. 

 The pins should be placed about one quarter of an 

 inch apart. The bottom of the cleft at the edge of 

 the lip is united with a single suture and the whole 

 sealed with collodion after cutting of? the super- 

 fluous portions of the pins with the wire cutters. 



Operation for Cleft Palate 



Place the animal in the dorsal position and induce 

 general anesthesia with H-M-C and chloroform. The 

 following instruments must be at hand: palate knife, 

 scissors, mouth gag, palate needles, silk sutures, 

 needle holder, swabs and swab holder, all to be 

 sterilized by boiling. 



Technic. — An incision is made parallel with and 

 on each side of the cleft through the mucous mem- 

 brane of the palate, which is then loosened from the 

 bone with the points of the scissors (Chury's opera- 

 tion). The object of this is to enable the operator 

 to approximate the edges of the cleft without ten- 

 sion on the sutures. 



The edges of the cleft are scarified and approxi- 

 mated with fine silk sutures placed one third of an 

 inch apart. 



