On that peculiar deformity of the pelvis originally described by Professor Fr. Ch. Nægelè of Heidelberg as the "pelvis obliqué ovata" / by Edward B. Sinclair.

  • Sinclair, Edward B. (Edward Burrowes), Sir, 1824-1882.
Date:
1855
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On that peculiar deformity of the pelvis originally described by Professor Fr. Ch. Nægelè of Heidelberg as the "pelvis obliqué ovata" / by Edward B. Sinclair. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    narrower than normal; that, though the sacro-vertebral angle could not be touched,—thereby indicating no great encroach¬ ment upon the antero-posterior diameter of the brim,—still the face of the sacrum was flat, its hollow being absent, and the distance between the planes of the ischia and that between the spines of these bones, were, to an appreciable degree, less than they ought to have been; but the facts that struck the exa¬ miner most forcibly were, that while the curve of the innomi- natum of the left side seemed normal, that of the right was destroyed, the latter bone being quite flat, and the distance from its ischiatic spine to the right edge of the sacrum was very much less than the same distance on the other side. The case, from this careful examination, appeared to me pretty evident, so much so, that I explained to those present my im¬ pression to be, that the pelvis was “ obliquely deformed,” or, in other words, that it was a case of “ Naegele’s deformity;” that I did not think she could give birth to a living child, and that the case would terminate instrumentally. I now made an external examination of the pelvis, but this disclosed nothing more than the existence of an old cicatrix, in the region corresponding to the site of the posterior superior spinous process of the right ilium. The head was presenting, the labour was in the very com¬ mencement of the first stage, and the foetal heart was audible. Uterine contractions continued, and the membranes were prematurely ruptured, in all probability, from the peculiarly interesting nature of the case giving rise to too frequently re¬ peated examinations; the consequence was, that, the presenta¬ tion now pressing the undilated cei;vix against the contracted brim, the structures surrounding the os became swollen, lea- thery, and disinclined to expand, so much so, that after a considerable period had elapsed (notwithstanding measures had been taken to improve matters), the labour was found to have scarcely at all advanced. Contractions by and by became frequent and vigorous, though the os was not much acted on thereby, and after an in¬ creased length of time it was found not more than nearly half dilated. At this period of the labour the pulse and state of the patient indicated interference, and, after a consultation, I was directed by Dr. Shekleton to perforate the head. This operation I accordingly performed at 8 o’clock.in the evening of the 4th, when the contents of the cranium were evacuated, but the extraction was delayed for some time, in the hope that