ii6 VAGINAL OVARIOTOMY IN THE MARE. 



DANGERS. 



Wounding of the rectum is scarcely possible under the 

 first method if care is taken not to attempt the incision until 

 the vagina is well "ballooned," and then making the stab 

 wound directly forward. If made upwards when the organ 

 is so erected the accident is highly probable, and with the 

 undilated vagina where it is necessary to cut upwards the 

 danger is ever present. Its prevention demands that in : 

 I, the operator await the complete "ballooning" and then 

 make his incision as directed. In II, the accident is to be 

 prevented by being careful to push the vagina down away 

 from the rectum and hold it away while the incision is 

 being made. If the wound in the rectum passes through 

 the pelvic connective tissue behind the peritoneum it is of 

 little consequence, but the operation should be abandoned ; 

 if the bowel is opened into the peritoneal cavity the accident 

 is fatal. 



Wounding of the iliac arteries, which produces prompt 

 death from hemorrhage, results from the incision being 

 made upwards instead of forwards when the vagina is 

 ' ' ballooned ' ' or from a failure to hold the roof of the vagina 

 down and away from the part while making the incision in 

 the flaccid organ as is the case with the recumbent animal 

 under anaesthesia. It is most likely to occur with timid 

 operators who become nervous, especially when the vagina 

 does not "balloon" promptly or the mare is not well 

 secured. The accident is wholly unnecessary if the operator 

 will await the "ballooning" in the first operation while by 

 the second method it is prevented by proper care in holding 

 the vagina downward and forward during the incision. 

 When it has occurred it is generally beyond remedy. 



Wounding of the uterus may occur when the incision is 

 directed downward and may greatly embarrass the operator 

 and confuse him by passing the hand through the incision 

 into the uterine cavity. It is to be avoided in the first 



