Publication:

Surgical repair of traumatic rupture of superficial and deep digital flexor tendon in a 7 year old working mule with complicated skin injury

A 7 year old working mule, with the history of traumatic injury on left hind limb, was presented to TVCC within 6-7 hours of injury with open complicated skin wound. Physical and clinical examination revealed rupture of superficial and deep digital flexor tendons with relative soft tissue and skin damage. The case was diagnosed as traumatic flexor tendon rupture and posted for surgical correction by Bunnell-Mayer suturing technique. Anaesthesia was induced using Xylazine (1.1 mg/kg) and Ketamine (2.2 mg/kg) combination and maintained with thiopental sodium (500 mg) under lateral recumbency. Polyglactin-910 (#2) suture was preferred for tenorrhaphy because of higher tensile and functional strength. Post-operative immobilization was achieved by fiber-glass full limb cast. Animal showed lameness for the first post-operative week, and then slowly reduced. During the cast removal at 6th week post-operatively, there was exuberant granulation tissue formation, which was removed by using cauterization. The dressing of wound was continued with proper debridement and antibiotic till the re-establishment of damaged tissue.