Surgical Repair of Keel Lesions and Lacerationsin Aquatic Birds

摘要

Loons, grebes, diving ducks, and other aquatic bird species commonly present with keel lesions or wounds. Keel lesions may develop while birds remain stranded on hard environmental surfaces or may develop during care if birds are not able to be housedin water. Surgical repair is often necessary but the technique used is crucial to rapid re-attainment of waterproof plumage. A general skin closure technique using tightly-spaced, snug, horizontal mattress sutures works well to allow rapid waterproofingrestoration in any body area, and may be used as the final closure of keel lesion repair. Keel lesions vary in severity and depth of affected tissues. Debridement of the keel itself is necessary for healing of lesions that expose the keel or that have necrotic skin adhered to the keel. Advancement grafts are needed to close degloving (scalping) injuries to the scalp, and skin autografts work well to allow reacquisition of intact integument and waterproof plumage despite areas of missing skin on limbs.With the surgical techniques described, these injuries can be effectively repaired to have minimal effect on survival to release, even during mass stranding events.