DIGITAL NEURECTOMY 165 



the tendon sheath and with the vessels accompanying the nerve. After dis- 

 section, a large cavity is left which greatly delays the healing process. A 

 much more expeditious method of treatment in such cases is to perform 

 plantar neurectomy again, adopting a seat above the position of the tumour. 



DIGITAL NEURECTOMY 



In affections which are confined to the posterior portion of the foot 

 neurectomy of the posterior digital division of the plantar nerve is some- 

 times indicated. 



It would appear from what has been said that the most convenient 

 seat for the performance of neurectomy of this nerve would be the most 

 prominent part of the fetlock, just behind the position where the artery 

 may be made to roll beneath the finger, but such is not the case, particu- 

 larly in connection with neurectomy of the internal nerve, for the swelling 

 which necessarily occurs during the process of healing would, if this seat 

 were adopted, render the part very liable to be struck by the opposite 

 foot during progression, and consequently the process of healing would 

 be greatly retarded. Another reason is that the flexing and extending 

 of the joint would reopen the cutaneous wound, and consequently greatly 

 retard its healing. The seat which is usually selected for this 

 operation is the furrow which extends in a downward direction from 

 just below the fetlock joint towards the coronet. This furrow has 

 already been referred to in our superficial examination, and upon dissec- 

 tion it will be found that the furrow is placed between the tendon of the 

 flexor perforans and the posterior border of the phalanges. The nerve 

 in such a dissection (Plate XXXIII.) will be found lying in the furrow 

 immediately behind the digital artery, and in front of the artery again we 

 have its accompanying vein. In some cases an accessory digital vein is 

 found running upwards posteriorly to the nerve, and sHghtly more deeply 

 seated. Near the middle of the os suffraginis the nerve is crossed obliquely 



