DIGITAL NEUROTOMY. 1 67 



36. DIGITAL NEUROTOMY. 

 Plate XXVI. 



Objects. The relief of navicular lameness in cases where 

 plantar neurotomy is not deemed necessary or advisable. 



Instruments. Razor, scissors, scalpel, probe pointed 

 bistoury, tenacula, aneurism needles, bandages. 



Technic. Digital neurotomy may generally be perform- 

 ed on the standing animal, the operative area having first 

 been anaesthetized by means of cocaine or otherwise, a 

 twitch applied to the upper lip and the affected foot held up 

 by an assistant. If necessary because of restlessness of the 

 animal or inexperience of the operator, confine on the oper- 

 ating table or cast the animal and apply the extension splint 

 to the foot to be operated on as shown in Plate XXIII, ex- 

 cept that the lower binding cords rest on the metacarpus 

 instead of the pastern. 



Extending downwards from the fetlock joint toward the 

 coronet, between the posterior border of the first phalanx 

 and the anterior border of the flexor tendons there is a slight 

 furrow, at the posterior part of which, close to the external 

 margin of the tendon, lies the median or principal digital 

 nerve accompanied in front by the digital artery, A, anterior 

 to which lies the digital vein, V. Immediately behind the 

 nerve and generally lying a trifle deeper, is quite commonly 

 found a second venous trunk of considerable size. Near the 

 middle of the first phalanx the nerve is crossed externally 

 in an oblique direction from above to below and from behind! 

 to before by a white ligamentous band, ly, slightly broader 

 than the nerve extending from the base of the ergot of the 

 fetlock to the retrossal process of the pedal bone. This must 

 not be mistaken for the nerve, N, and need not be if it is re- 

 membered that the latter is accompanied on the same plane 

 and in a like direction by the satellite artery, A, and vein, V, 

 enclosed with it in a fibrous sheath. At the uppermost part 

 of the first phalanx the nerve lies in front of this ligament, 



