164 



HEALTH AND DISEASE 



the insensitive end that has just been divided is picked up by strong pliers, 

 and pulled out until sufficient is exposed for removal, as above advised. 



Next in frequency of performance is the low operation, in which the 

 posterior branch of the plantar nerve (fig. 502) is divided as it passes along 

 beside the perforans tendon, midway between the fetlock and the coronet. 

 The mode of procedure is the same as that described for the higher neurec- 

 tomy. It is sometimes resorted to in navicular and other diseases of the 

 posterior part of the foot, but it is not so uniformly successful as when the 



Fig. 506. — Low Plantar Neurectomy. Raising 

 the digital nerve by an aneurism needle threaded 

 with carbolized silk or gut 



Fig. 507.— Low Plantar Neurectomy. Sever- 

 ing the digital nerve held out by carbolized silk 

 or gut 



main trunk is divided above the fetlock. It has the advantage, however, of 

 leaving a certain degree of sensibility in the front part of the foot, which 

 greatly adds to the safety of the animal's movements. Dealers in unsound 

 horses are much in favour of the low operation, as the scar resulting from 

 it is not readily seen, and the unwary are in this way imposed upon. 



Median neurectomy (fig. 508) is sometimes performed for the relief of 

 lameness affecting some part of the limb from the fetlock upwards, such as 

 that arising from " knee splints " and other ossific depositions which have 

 not yielded to ordinary measures of treatment. Division of the ulnar 

 branch (fig. 509) is also practised for removing sensibility of parts at the 

 back of the knee. 



