NEURECTOMY 137 



NEURECTOMY 



General Remarks. Neurectomy is performed for a variety 

 of objects, such as the relief of pain in a sensitive nerve 

 itself, as in trifacial neurectomj-, p. 64 ; the relief of pain or 

 lameness in a part supplied by a sensory nerve ; or the inhi- 

 bition of motor power, as in the " cribbing" operation by 

 severing the spinal accessory where it passes into the steruo- 

 maxillaris muscle. 



The following neurectomies are designed to relieve pain 

 and the consequent lameness dependent upon a pathologic 

 condition of some structure, on the distal side of the point 

 of operation and to which the divided sensory nerve is 

 destined. 



Neurectomy of a sensory nerve is always a painful opera- 

 tion, and it's performance without anaesthesia is unjustifi- 

 able from a humane standpoint, and cannot be so well done 

 either from a view of mechanical correctness or the carry- 

 ing out of antiseptic .standards. Some neurectomies can be 

 well performed on the standing animal if it is quiet and the 

 operator is experienced, the parts being rendered insensi- 

 tive by means of local anaesthesia ; in the greater neurec- 

 tomies, general anaesthesia may be desirable or necessary 

 from the humane or operative standpoint. 



The confinement of animals for neurectomy on the sensory 

 nerves of the extremities for the relief of lameness, is always 

 to be viewed as a critical procedure for the reason that the 

 operation is generally made because of the local manifesta- 

 tion of a more or less general disease which may be accom- 

 panied by general fragility of the skeleton, and as a result 

 most casting accidents occur in cases of confining for neu- 

 rectomy or firing in cases of lameness belonging to the great 

 group of dry arthritis or spavin family. Casting must, 

 therefore, be done with the greatest possible care, and the 

 operating table is to be greatly preferred. 



