RUPTURE OF THE PLEXOR TENDONS AND SUSPENSORY LIGAMENT. 835 



Rupture of the flexor perforata often coincides with disease of 

 its surface at the point where it passes over the sesamoids or navicular 

 bone, a change which commonly accompanies chronic navicular 

 disease, and which may terminate in partial necrosis of the tendon. 

 Rupture of the flexor perforans and perforatus often follows purulent 

 inflammation of their sheath and of the gliding surface of the sesamoid 

 bones. In such cases rupture is due to inflammation in the sheath 

 of the tendons ; it is favoured by neurectomy. Fig. 477 shows 

 an almost complete rupture of the flexor pedis perforans behind 

 the fetlock, consequent on purulent disease of its sheath. During 

 navicular disease the gliding sur- 

 face of the navicular bone becomes 

 rough and produces erosion of the 

 perforans tendon; the peculiar 

 cases following neurectomy result 

 from over-extension of the ten- 

 don, which is in a condition of 

 impaired nutrition. 



Moller describes cases where 

 the perforans and perforatus ten- 

 dons in hind limbs have become 

 totally ruptured on account of 

 advanced necrosis. Septic cellu- 

 litis extending to the flexor FlG - 4 ^8. -Rupture of the superior sesamoid 

 , ,, & , or suspensory ligament (from a photograph), 



sheaths sets up purulent tendo- 

 vaginitis, which leads to necrosis of the tendon. The animal then 

 stands continuously on the other foot, this sometimes causing 

 descent of the pedal bone. Pain then increases to such a degree 

 that weight is placed on the first affected limb in spite of the 

 disease of the tendon. This apparent improvement is, however, 

 suddenly arrested by rupture of the tendon. 



Necrosis of the ruptured tendons is indicated by the dull yellow 

 colour of the structures, and (in cases where separation of the dead 

 parts has already set in) by the red granulations bordering the 

 normal tendon tissue. 



Gramlich describes a horse which, during the course of influenza, 

 suffered from inflammation of the tendons of all four limbs. In one 

 fore-leg the perforans and perforatus tendons were both ruptured, 

 and on post-mortem examination were found partly necrotic. 



Rupture of fasciculi occurs in almost all cases of inflammation 

 of the flexor tendons produced by severe strains. 



Symptoms. Rupture of the perforans is at once followed by 



