Abstract

The goal of this presentation is to describe a novel surgical technique used in the routine castrations of two intact, male, southern sea otters, Enhydra lutris nereis, housed at the Georgia Aquarium. The otters, aged 2 yrs and 11 yrs, were anesthetized with an intramuscular injection of midazolam and fentanyl; each otter was intubated, and anesthesia was maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. The orchiectomies were performed using a modified-closed technique. The skin, subcutis, and spermatic fascia were sharply incised, and the testicle was exteriorized with the parietal tunic intact. A small opening was made in the parietal tunic, allowing exteriorization and placement of two encircling ligatures on the ductus deferens and the pampiniform plexus en mass. The ligated structures were introduced back into the parietal tunic, upon which a single encircling ligation was placed distal to the opening made for the prior ligations. The spermatic fascia, subcutis and skin were closed in a routine manner. Both otters recovered well from the procedure. The younger otter had a minimal complication (suture site reaction) and the other had no complications. This procedure combined the benefit of the open castration (secure ligation of vascular structures) with the reduced risk of ligature dislodgement and hemorrhage and decreased postoperative swelling, as provided by performing a traditional closed castration (ligation and removal of the parietal tunic and cremaster muscle).¹ This is the first time this technique has been described for use in sea otters.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Dr. Mike Murray, the veterinary technicians, animal care staff, and volunteers at the Georgia Aquarium.

References

1.  Fossum T, Hedlund C, Hulse DA, Johnson AL, Seim HB III, Willard MD, Carroll GL. Surgery of the reproductive and genital systems. In: Small Animal Surgery. St. Louis, MO: Mosby, Inc.; 2002:619–621.