Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgical fix for hyperflexed toe in a saker falcon
By Raghav, Raj et al.·Published in Journal of avian medicine and surgery·2023·Bahrain Falcon Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Correction of a Hyperflexed Hallux in a Saker Falcon () by Hemisectioning the Deep Digital Flexor Tendon.
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old male saker falcon was brought in because the first toe on his left foot was bent and unable to straighten out properly. Previous treatments like bandaging and splinting didn't help, so the veterinarian performed surgery to fix the problem. They found that the tendon was stuck due to adhesions and needed to be cut to allow it to move freely again. After the surgery, the falcon was bandaged to keep the toe straight and received mild physiotherapy. Four weeks later, the toe was almost back to normal function.
People also search for: falcon toe problem · saker falcon surgery · bird tendon injury treatment
Abstract
A 3-year-old male saker falcon () was presented with a history of hyperflexion of the first digit of the left pelvic limb with what appeared to be a hypercontracted distal end of the deep digital flexor tendon (). Conservative treatment, bandaging, and splinting techniques failed to resolve the hypercontraction of the deep digital flexor tendon and improve digit function. Intraoperatively, the deep digital flexor tendon was found to have formed adhesions with the tendon sheath as well as the bone and soft tissue structures underneath it, impeding its ability to move freely within the tendon sheath. The adhesions were surgically resolved, and the tendon was lengthened by hemisectioning the deep digital flexor tendon at its distal end. Postsurgically, the digit was maintained in an extended position by bandaging. Mild physiotherapy was provided at 5-day intervals to retain function and prevent adhesions. Digit extensibility and function were restored to nearly normal levels after 4 weeks.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37962320/