176 VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



other treatment unless it becomes purulent, then the usual 

 antiseptic irrigation is required. The stitches are usually 

 removed on the fifth to the sixth day. Healing requires 

 twenty to twenty-five days, at which time the horse may be 

 returned to work. A longer period of rest is, however, ad- 

 visable. 



ACCIDENTS AND SEQUELiE.— During the opera- 

 tion there is always danger of wounding the radial vein or 

 even the collateral artery. It is the former, however, that is 

 most likely to be cut or pricked during the search for the 

 nerve which is so closely related to it. This accident is pre- 

 vented by avoiding the use of the scalpel after the anti- 

 brachial has been exposed. The division of the latter struc- 

 ture and the subsequent dissection should be done with 

 blunt-pointed instruments (the probe-pointed bistoury, the 

 dissecting forceps and blunt nerve elevator) ; otherwise this 

 accident' will occur with great frequency. Sometimes small 

 branches of the vein are cut near the main trunk if sharp 

 cutting instruments are used, and these may bleed profusely 

 enough to give the impression that the vein itself has been 

 cut. The search for the exact seat of the breach is not al- 

 ways fruitful ; on the contrary it may augment the flow by 

 still farther widening the breach. Whether branch or trunk 

 is wounded, the flow is always copious; the blood gushes 

 out so rapidly, and is so difficult to control while the breach 

 is sought that often the operation must be abandoned. 

 Sometimes by pressing the fingers forcibly into the course 

 of the vein both above and below the wound it can be 

 stopped long enough to render possible the continuation of 

 the operation. More times this is useless. Again, the artery 

 forceps may be successfully adjusted to the breach while the 

 flow is momentarily controlled by pressure. When this is 

 successful the operation may proceed and the forceps may be 

 left undisturbed for the first twenty-four hours after its com- 

 pletion. Ligation of the vein is generally very difficult to 

 accomplish. The dissection of the vein to facilitate the pass- 

 ing of ligatures below and above the breach often makes 

 matters worse by opening up branches which are very nu- 

 merous in this particular region. When these manipulations 

 fail the wound is packed taut with wadding and sutured 

 firmly. 



Wounding of the radial vein is always followed by a very 

 painful. oedema of the limb, lasting six to eight days, but is 

 otherwise of no serious consequence. It is never fatal. It 

 can always be controlled. The radial artery may also be 



