CHAPTER II. 



NEUROTOMY. 



DEFINITION.— The word "neurotomy" in its strict 

 literal sense denotes the surgical division of a nerve trunk. 

 In veterinary surgery it is the universal designation for oper- 

 ations consisting of the removal of a small portion of a sen- 

 sory nerve trunk with the purpose of permanently destroy- 

 ing its continuity. For a time, the word "neurectomy" was 

 quite generally substituted on the grounds that it more clear- 

 ly defined the operation as performed in veterinary practice. 

 This stand was, however, erroneous, because the word 

 "neurectomy" when preceded by the name of a nerve trunk 

 (e. g. plantar neurectomy) readily led the unsuspecting 

 reader to suppose that the operation sacrificed the entire 

 nerve named. The qualified name would easily lead to the 

 impression that the nerve operated upon was inimical to the 

 patient's well-being and therefore required surgical ablation 

 in its totality. The fact that the purpose of the operation is 

 that of destroying the nerve's continuity, that of simply in- 

 terrupting the communication between periphery and center, 

 at once qualifies the word "neurotomy" as the appropriate 

 designation. 



HISTORY. — Neurotomy in veterinary practice until 

 very recently was but a synonym for "plantar neurotomy" 

 of the present day. The operation included but a single pro- 

 cedure, — that of dividing the plantar nerve a short distance " 

 above the fetlock joint. The operation was at first given the 

 vulgar appellation of "nerving" which name is still applied 

 among laymen. It was first performed by English veterina- 

 rians during the second ten years, and was introduced into 

 France during the third ten years, of the nineteenth century. 

 Professor Sewell is tendered the credit of priority in its per- 

 formance. He performed first the plantar and then later in- 

 troduced digital operation. During the same epoch Moor- 

 croft performed the same operation in India, apparently with- 

 out knowledge of its previous invention in England. 



Sewell, by giving publicity to the operation and by im- 

 proving it so as to include only the posterior digital nerve, 

 undoubtedly deserves the full credit ordinarily given him of 



128 



