202 VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



accident is easily avoided by exercising a little care in pass- 

 ing the bistoury around the mediu's. There is no danger 

 while dividing the external tendon. The haemorrhage re- 

 sulting from this accident is controlled promptly by applying 

 a taut compressing bandage over the whole lower half of the 

 forearm. 



One of the unfortunate results is the failure to relieve the 

 deformity. Although the tendons are well divided and the 

 carpus can be straightened, it sometimes happens that the 

 patient will persist in keeping it flexed, except when it is 

 retained on a straight line by force. In this event it will be 

 necessary to apply a hard retention bandage (plaster of 

 Paris) to prevent flexion for several weeks, at which time 

 the condition will be found to be at least partially amelior- 

 ated. 



Metacarpal Tenotomy. 



SYNONYM. — Tenotomy of the perforans and perfora- 

 tus tendons. 



DEFINITION. — Metacarpal tenotomy is the name we 

 apply to the subcutaneous division of the flexors of the phal- 

 anges, at the middle third of the metacarpus, for the pur- 

 pose of correcting the deformity know'n as volar or palmar 

 flexion. 



INDICATIONS. — Chronic volar flexion is a deformity 

 of solipeds, consisting of a contraction of the flexors of the 

 phalanges, due to a definite lesion in the digital region. On 

 account of a painful morbid process, located at some point 

 along the "palmar surface," the phalangeal articulations are 

 thrown into a constant state of excessive flexion, which re- 

 laxes muscles controlling that action, and thus induces them 

 to shorten in obedience to the distance they cover. Once 

 contracted, the flexed state, commonly known by the phrase 

 "volar flexion," persists until the tendons are again length- 

 ened by tenotomy or other treatments. This definite lesion 

 is generally a tendo-synovitis of the navicular bursa, but may 

 also be located in the bones, tendons or synovials, at any 

 point between the fetlock and the semilunar ridge. Exos- 

 toses, severe strains of the tendons or ligaments, severe in- 

 flammations of the synovials, and sometimes chronic lamini- 

 tis, are the usual primary abnormalities which cause the 

 muscles (and their tendons) to become shorter and shorter 

 as the articulations become more and more flexed by the 

 animal's efforts to place the articulations in the most com- 

 fortable position. 



