32 



VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



tenaculum is used to pull it out or turn it to advantage, and 

 at the same time bring about the desired tension on the parts 

 to be separated. The resection of areolar tissue is very im- 

 portant in dissection. This tissue surrounds and connects 

 everything. Bloodless it is white, and only acts as a trans- 

 parent screen to underlying structures, but when soaked 

 with blood it effectually masks prominent objects immedi- 

 ately under it, often to the dismay of the unsuspecting sur- 



FiG. 17 — Thumb, Tissue or Dissecting Forceps. 



geon. In searching for structures to be isolated by dissec- 

 tion the necessity of first picking up and resecting all mask- 

 ing areolar tissue, can not be too frequently mentioned nor 

 too strongly emphasized. By so doing prominent anatomi- 

 cal structures, previously effectually hidden, are promptly 

 brought into the foreground and thus made to serve as land- 

 marks for further progress. Often a structure sought dili- 

 gently in every direction is right before one's eyes, masked 



Fig. 18— Three Styles of Dissecting Scissors. 



with nothing more than a mere mesh of blood-soaked areolar 

 tissue. 



In making extensive dissections it is advisable to search 

 out vessels before cutting them, in order that they may be 

 ligated and thus limit the loss of blood as much as possible. 

 In the course of long dissections the loss of blood may be 

 enormous, and therefore a matter of some consequence. 

 When a large number of small oozing and spurting vessels 

 are cut and threaten the loss of too much blood, besides in- 



