The Abdomen 279 



Surgery of the Uterus 



All operations on the uterus should be done under general 

 anesthesia, the animal being secured in the dorsal position for 

 median celiotomy and in the lateral position for lateral celiotomy. 

 The organ is best reached by opening the abdominal cavity in the 

 median line in the center of the distance between the ensiform pro- 

 cess and the pubic border. 



HYSTEROTOMY. 



This operation is resorted to in cases of fetal retention in which 

 decomposition has not occurred nor induced changes in the uterine 

 wall, when the fetus is too large to pass through the natural pas- 

 sages, and in inguinal hernia where the gravid uterus forms the 

 protrusion, and when it is considered dangerous to the dam to allow 

 completion of full term owing to the difference in size between her 

 and the sire. Under the latter conditions the chances of favorable 

 result are greater when the operation is undertaken any time up to 

 seven weeks of gestation. Fractures of the pelvis are apt to reduce 

 the caliber of the passage to such extent as to completely inhibit 

 parturition, when the operation becomes imperative. Brooks and 

 Whitworth and Menveux have recorded instances with successful 

 termination. Funk had to resort to the operation in an animal in 

 which one of the cornua had become inverted, thus preventing the 

 expulsion of the fetuses in the other cornu. 



Where the safety of the progeny is desired it is interesting to 

 know that the fetus may survive the death of the dam for some 

 minutes. Kehrers, in experimental observations, found that three 

 minutes after death the fetus began to show symptoms of asphyxia, 

 and in thirty-six minutes it was dead. Sauer extracted some fetuses 

 alive by this operation eight minutes after the death of the dam. 



The technic of hysterotomy is as follows : The abdominal cavity 

 being opened with as little wounding of the mammae as possible, 

 draw out the organ in its entirety and protect it with cloths wrung 

 out in hot water. Some difficulty may be experienced in exposing 

 the organ, particularly if it contains several fetuses, but it must be 

 handled with gentleness and the opening in the abdominal wall 

 should be large enough to permit of free passage of the distended 

 organ. Make a single incision cautiously through the uterine wall 



