If other attempts at inducing laying have failed, the reptile must be anaesthetized for surgical removal. Before cutting, a final attempt at manually manipulating the eggs may be tried owning to the reduced risk to the female due to the relaxation of the oviductal sphincter from the anaesthesia. As before, care must be taken to not push hard enough to cause a prolapse or rupture. Depending upon what is found when the vet goes inside, the eggs only may be removed, or some or all the reproductive tissues may be removed. If there is no intention of breeding the female, the owner may wish to have an ovariosalingectomy done at the same time to prevent future incidents of binding.
Chelonians present some additional difficulties.
Entry into the coelomic cavity can be made by going in near the hind leg but the restricted manoeuvrability makes it difficult to find and extract the eggs. Fetuses removed through salpingotomy have also been successful. The biggest factors determining female post-retention survival is her overall physical state. Most are severely weakened as the result of the dystocia. Those who started out healthy, in good nutritional, hydration and physical states are more likely to recover.