title: Delayed postpartum fetotomy in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus).
abstract: A 37-yr-old Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) started parturition after 640 days of pregnancy but no fetal parts entered the birth canal. Despite veterinary intervention, the calf was not delivered. After 13 mo calving resumed and a full-term dead calf advanced into and lodged within the vagina. With standing xylazine tranquilization, the dam received a vagino-vestibulotomy to permit total fetotomy of the calf, which presented with bilateral carpal arthrogryposis. Severe infection of the caudal vaginal vestibulum complicated wound healing, and over the following year two corrective surgeries were performed, which resolved the fistula 3 mo after the second debridement. The elephant not only survived the procedures but also resumed normal estrous cycles, as demonstrated by blood progesterone concentration monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Rotterdam Zoo, P.O. Box 532, 3000 AM Rotterdam, The Netherlands. W.Schaftenaar@rotterdamzoo.nl
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schaftenaar
mesh_terms: D000030:Abortion, Missed / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D004420:Dystocia / Q000662:veterinary*; D004606:Elephants / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000662:veterinary*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D011374:Progesterone