OPERATIONS UPON FIBROUS TISSUES. 323 



other border of the muscle, in front, the curved tenotome is in- 

 serted and the straight one withdrawn, and the tendon divided 

 from within outward ; the straight tenotome is then re-introduced 

 through the same opening, between the muscles, and carried from 

 behind forward on the posterior border of the external flexor, 

 imder its thickness, tmtil the point of the instrument is felt on 

 the anterior border, when the curved tenotome is again re-insert- 

 ed, and the division of the tendons performed as before. The 

 wound of this ojseration is simple, heals readily, and is Hable to 

 no complications or accidents. Of course the operator must ex- 

 ercise due caution, when dividing the tendons from within out- 

 ward, to avoid making a complete section through the skin. 



Anti-Brachial Tenotomy. 



This operation has been recommended for the relief resijec- 

 tively of sprung knees and knuckled fetlocks, but by reason of the 

 numerous and almost constant failures by which it was character- 

 ized, has been discredited, and banished from the domain of our 

 surgery. It consisted in the section of the tendinous band which 

 from the lower extremity of the coraco-radialis extends downward 

 to mingle with the fibres of the anti-brachial aponeurosis, in pass- 

 ing a httle below and in front of the elbow joint. 



Brogniez, who recommended the operation, performed it by 

 making a longitudinal incision of the skin over the course of the 

 tendon, which is readily felt under the skin, and passing the point 

 of a convex bistoury over the aponeurosis and the band, dividing 

 it from without inward. 



Tarsal Tenotomies. 



Two modes of operation are practised uj)on some of the 

 tendons surrounding the hock joints, one upon the cunean branch 

 of the flexor metatarsi muscle, the other upon the tendons of the 

 lateral extensor of the phalanges. They are known distinctively 

 as the cunean and the jyeroneo-phalangeal tenotomy. 



(«. ) Cunean Tenotomy. — The flexor metatarsi, one of the 

 muscles of the anterior tibial region, is composed of two por- 

 tions, one muscular, the other tendinous. The tendinous portion 

 is situated between the muscular portion and the anterior extensor 

 of the f)halanges, and is attached above to the inferior extremity 

 of the femur, between the external condyle and the external 



