title: A fetoscopic method for enucleation in developmental studies of the visual system.
abstract: Prenatal enucleation is accomplished by fetoscopy using an arthroscope and a needle for the delivery of electric current into the uterus of anesthetized, pregnant cats. Under direct vision, the eye(s) of the fetus are easily discerned and can readily be lesioned by the application of an electrical current delivered through the needle. The procedure is relatively simple to perform, minimizes uterine trauma and therefore postsurgical recovery times for the mother cat, enhances the prolongation of pregnancy and allows a shorter operating time for accomplishing the enucleation than does normal surgical invasion. It should be possible to make other uses of the approach, such as prenatal ocular injection of dyes or of tracer substances in place of the enucleation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alta. Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Hicks
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020679:Arthroscopes; D002415:Cats; D004598:Electrosurgery; D005123:Eye / Q000196:embryology; D005260:Female; D005332:Fetoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development