'326 VETERINARY’ SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS. 
IL. 
TRAUMATIC SYNOVITIS. — 
Whether ¢raumatic synovitis succeeds infected synovial .wounds or is 
consecutive to a closed synovitis ending by suppuration, its symptoms are: 
in all cases very expressive: there ‘is a fistula through which escapes a. 
yellowish, clotted, more or less purulent liquid; the region is warm, pain- 
‘ful, edematous ; lameness is great if it is the synovial of a leg; there is. 
more or less traumatic fever. One may hesitate between synovitis and. 
arthritis. In this last, however, the functional disturbances are more: 
marked ; the lameness greater; the swelling, more extensive and diffuse, 
spreading evenly on the whole periphery of the joint, while in synovitis it is. 
limited to the side of the leg where the synovial exists, or much more. 
marked there than on the opposite side. 
According to Lafosse, synovitis would not be any more dangerous than. 
simple peri-articular phlegmons. With the great majority of authors,. 
we believe that suppurative inflammation of a tendinous synovial is always. 
a serious accident. Evidently the prognosis varies with the importance 
of the synovial injured, the character of the wound, the length of time: 
it has existed. In some cases, the inflammation extends to the tendon,,. 
and with a suppurative teno-synovitis, the practitioner must be modest in. 
his opinions. Recovery is sometimes singularly favored through parti-. 
tions in the synovial by septum or bands ; the infection, instead of spread- 
ing in the entire serous, remains localized on one point, sometimes one of 
the cul de sacs. As a consequence of synovial inflammation, generally 
strong adhesions take place between the walls of the sac, the sliding of 
the tendon becomes difficult, the animal remains lame. 
All the treatments indicated for synovial wounds have been recom-- 
mended against traumatic synovitis. The two therapeutic methods that. 
are favored by practitioners are hydrotherapy and antisepsy. If the 
former is used, sometimes the wound and surrounding region are simply 
irrigated with a rubber tube fixed above it; or again, by enlarging the- 
fistula and placing a drainage tube. Through the action of cool water,. 
purulent secretion diminishes and recovery may be obtained. We prefer, 
instead of cold water, antiseptic injections, following the necessary enlarge-- 
ment of the fistula. Sometimes a counter-opening and then a drainage.. 
Like Mauriand Labat, we generally use sublimate 1 in 1000 in injections. 
every two hours ; by degrees the discharge diminishes, the rational symptoms. 
improve, the wound closes rapidly. Landreau has reported a case of syno- 
vitis of the sheath of the anterior extensor of the phalanges, cured in four- 
