Fig. 83.—The Walcher position. (American Text Book.)
Cranioclasis is the crushing of the fœtal skull so that in its reduced condition the child can be delivered and the mother’s life spared. In addition to the solutions, the only instruments required are the Auvard cranioclast, a Naegele perforator, and a douche bag with glass, or any tip that can be sterilized.
In many of these cases, both mother and child could be saved if seen early enough to have a Cæsarean operation.
Decapitation is done to save the maternal life in cases of transverse or shoulder presentation. The preparations are the same as already described for forceps and version and the only instrument needed is a Braun blunt hook. (Fig. 73.)
Fig. 84.—The Wiegand compression of the child’s head to force it into the pelvis. (Hammerschlag.)
Cæsarean section is the delivery of the child through an opening in the abdomen.
It is made necessary by contraction of the pelvic bones, or by the presence of a fleshy or bony mass which diminishes the size of the inlet. It may be required on account of the closure of the vagina or cervix by scars or on account of urgent conditions of the mother, such as eclampsia, heart disease, and sometimes placenta previa.
The technic is simple, but good judgment must be used in knowing when to do it. Many operators find it so easy that they prefer it to the harder but safer obstetrical operations.
