Abstract
The development of digital oedema, adhesion formation, and resistance to digital motion at days 0, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 14 after primary flexor tendon repairs using 102 long toes of 51 Leghorn chickens was studied. Oedema presented as tissue swelling from days 3 to 7, which peaked at day 3. After day 7, oedema was manifest as hardening of subcutaneous tissue. The degree of digital swelling correlated with the resistance to tendon motion between days 3 and 7. At day 9, granulation tissues were observed around the tendon and loose adhesions were observed at day 14. Resistance to digital motion increased significantly from day 0 to day 3, but did not increase between days 3 and 9. The early postoperative changes appear to have three stages: initial (days 0–3, increasing resistance with development of oedema), delayed (days 4–7, higher resistance with continuing oedema) and late (after day 7–9, hardening of subcutaneous tissue with development of adhesions).
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