OBSTETRIC OPERATIONS. 



In overcoming dystokia, a number of operations may be de- 

 manded, which vary greatly in character and which may admit 

 of many variations in technic. It is but natural that the obstet- 

 rist should be as conservative as possible in the selection and car- 

 rying out of a plan for the overcoming of obstacles to delivery. 

 He should have in mind the entire list of available obstetric ope- 

 rations, and determine which of these he should elect to carry out 

 in a given case. In determining upon a plan for operating, he 

 should consider first that plan which is the most conservative, 

 since if it succeeds it is best from the standpoint of the well-being 

 of the mother, of the fetus, of the operator, and of the eco- 

 nomic interests of the owner. 



The chief obstetric operations are : 



1. Mutation, or changing the position of the fetus. 



2. Forced extraction. 



3. Embryotomy. 



4. Caesarian section, or gastro- hysterotomy and hysterec- 



tomy. 



I. Mutation. 



In the preceding pages we have indicated that,' in order for 

 birth to take place normally, it is essential that the fetus should 

 present in a longitudinal direction, either anteriorly or posteri- 

 orly, and that it is highly important, if not (^uite necessary, that 

 the fetus should be in the dorso-sacral position. In the larger 

 domestic animals, it is essential that, in the anterior presentation, 

 both fore-feet should be well extended, and the head resting upon 

 these with the nose reaching nearly to the fetlock joint. In the 

 posterior presentation, the two posterior limbs should be fully 

 extended. Any deviation from this attitude in the larger animals 

 calls for more or less interference on the part of the obstetrist, 

 in order that birth may occur. 



It has been noted that in the smaller domestic animals the at- 

 titude of the fetus in its passage through the birth canal differs 

 somewhat from the above. In the carnivora, when in the ante- 

 rior presentation, the head usually presents alone, with the feet 

 doubled back beneath the chest. The position of the fetus or the 

 deviation of parts is exceedingly variable, and it is the function 

 of the obstetrist to bring each part into the normal presentation 



