TENOTOMY AND MYOTOMY 197 



essential that the causative inflammatory condition be sub- 

 mitted to abortive treatment as soon as the tenotomy is per- 

 formed, in order to prevent an early return of the abnormal 

 flexion of the articulation, and contraction of the tendons. 



It is very evident, therefore, that tenotomies have a lim- 

 ited sphere of usefulness, and that frequently they only 

 temporarily correct the deformity for which they are per- 

 formed. Generally the primary lesion is a serious, deform- 

 ing, incurable defect, often in an old animal of little value, 

 which circumstance again circumscribes the usefulness of 

 the operation. 



Here and there, however, conditions are encountered in 

 which the operation gives fairly satisfactory results. If the 

 primary disease aborts without leaving any serious obstruc- 

 tion to the reposition of the articulation to its normal angle, 

 a tenotomy may permanently correct the deformity, but 

 these favorable indications are, unfortunately, rare. Gener- 

 ally there are exostoses, contracted binding ligaments, or 

 chronic inflammations to prevent a satisfactory and lasting 

 effect. 



The different tenotomies in veterinary surgery are not, 

 however, all performed for this same purpose of correcting 

 articular deformities. Cunean tenotomy and peroneal ten- 

 otomy are performed with entirely different objects in -view. 

 These will be considered separately as regards their indica- 

 tions. Furthermore, tendons are now often divided in the 

 treatment of acute traumatic inflammations of bursae and 

 sheaths, examples of which are the division of the plantar 

 aponeurosis for Jendo-synovitis of the plantar bursa, and 

 division of the perforans for. thecal abscess at the sesamoids 

 (see page 461). 



TECHNIQUE. — Each tenotomy has its special tech- 

 nique which is described below under the separate heads. 

 In a general way it may, however, be mentioned that the 

 tenotomies for correcting deformities are all rather simple 

 operations, consisting of a subcutaneous division of the con- 

 tracted organ with a curved bistoury, followed by a forcible 

 reposition of the deformed articulation to its normal angle. 

 If the adhesions are not too formidable, only a little force 

 may be required, but in almost every case some difficulty is 

 encountered in 'breaking them down. In every case, as soon 

 as the divided tendon no longer lends to the deformity, 

 traction is applied from a point of advantage until the ad- 

 hesions give way. The manipulation necessary to effect this 

 breaking down process varies according to the location of 



