ABSTRACT

We report the clinical treatment and surgery of an olive ridley turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, that had been accidentally captured by a fisherman. Using radiography, we discovered a fishing hook lodged in the middle third of the esophagus. Following unsuccessful initial attempts to retrieve the hook using flexible endoscopy, we performed an esophagostomy, incising through the skin on the ventral neck aligned caudal to the occiput o f the skull to the top of the intergular scute of the plastron. After 2 m of recuperation in captivity, the turtle was judged fully recovered and released to the sea.