Obstetrical Equipment and Instruments

Obstetrical equipment and instruments are essential tools in the management of parturition in animals, aiding in the safe delivery of the fetus and ensuring the well-being of the dam.

The aim should be to possess the minimum essential equipment for obstetrical procedures.

It cannot be stated too often that the best instruments are the clean and gentle hands and arms of the obstetrician. Simple instruments that are easy to handle and convenient to sterilize are best.

The following equipment is commonly used:

• Protective clothing (waterproof gown, rubber boots, rubber gloves)
• Obstetric lubricant, funnel, and rubber tubing for uterine infusion
• Calcium borogluconate
• Antibiotics
• Xylazine
• Local anaesthetic
• Tetanus antitoxin
• Syringes with hypodermic and epidural needles
• Intravenous infusion apparatus with intravenous needles
• Sterile gauze swabs
• Cotton wool
• Surgical spirit
• Saline solution with needle

Instruments Used for Manipulative Delivery

Traction Instruments

• Obstetrical traction rope or snares: These are made of synthetic material (nylon) or cotton. They cannot be sterilized easily.
• Moore’s obstetrical traction chains: These are made of stainless or chrome-plated steel, with lengths ranging from 75 to 120 cm. They can be easily sterilized by autoclaving, boiling, or chemical disinfection. The chains are supplied with detachable stainless steel handles.
• Obstetrical traction straps: These are also made of synthetic material or cotton and have the advantage of causing less trauma to fetal limbs than chains or ropes when heavy traction is used. On the other hand, they are more difficult to apply.
• Harm’s sharp or blunt short eye hooks: Made of stainless steel, these are used in pairs and are attached to a rope or chain. They are inserted into the orbits of the fetus and are used for traction on the head.
• Krey–Schottler double-jointed hook (sharp or blunt): This is a very useful instrument that can be attached to the body of the fetus when other points of traction are unavailable.
• William’s long obstetrical hook: This is easier to use than the short double eye hooks but is less effective as it may slip out of the fetal orbit.
• Snare introducer: Made of stainless steel, used to insert the snares/ropes around the head, limbs, etc.
• Obermeyer’s anal hook: Used to apply traction through the anus of the fetus.
• Cammerer’s torsion fork: Used for detorsion in uterine torsion.
• Kuhn’s crutch repeller: Used to repel the fetus into the abdominal or uterine cavity.
• HK Calf Puller / Fetal Extractor: There are several models of fetal extractors, but the basic design is similar. Each consists of a mechanical jacking device that moves on a long metal rod to a breech plate attachment. The fetal limbs or head are fixed to the jacking device by means of obstetrical chains, while the breech plate is pressed against the dam’s perineum below the vulva when traction is applied.

Fetotomy Instruments

• Robert’s concealed fetotomy knife
• Unsworth’s concealed fetotomy knife
• Keller’s semi-sharp spatula
• Debruin’s chisel
• Thygesen’s wire saw fetotome
• Wire introducer
• Shriever’s snare introducer

Instruments Used in Small Animals

• Hobday’s whelping forceps
• Vectis lambs
• Lambing forceps / farrowing forceps
• Robert’s snare forceps