192 VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



astringents. Caustic and actual cautery are even nec'essary 

 to control the protruding granulation, but these should not 

 be resorted to until the acute inflammation has subsided, 

 after the third or fourth week. 



ACCIDENTS AND SEQUEL^.— Peroneal neurotomy 

 is not a dangerous operation. There is some slight danger 

 of cutting the anterior tibial artery, which lies about one- 

 half an inch beneath the nerve (operating position.) There is 

 little danger, however, if the distance of the peroneal nerve 

 from the surface is known to the operator. The anterior tibial 

 artery has been mistaken for the nerve, but only by opera- 

 tors who have no previous knowledge of their relative di- 

 mensions. The nerve is a mere shred, while the artery is a 

 large, cylindrical structure, the size of a sm,all lead pencil. 



The only formidable sequel is the muscle hernia, described 

 above, that occurs in different degrees of severity, ac- 

 cording to the cleanliness of the operation, and the skill 

 displayed in preventing bursting of the sutures. Breaking 

 down of the unnerved parts never follows. From this stand- 

 point, peroneal neurotomy is harmless. 



Ulnar Neurotomy. 



DEFINITION. — Ulnar neurotomy is the surgical divi- 

 sion of the ulnar nerve in the middle third of the fore-arm. 



HISTORY. — Ulnar neurotomy really has no history, at 

 least little is ever heard of the operation. It is. sometimes 

 mentioned in connection with median neurotomy. When 

 the latter has failed to entirely cure the lameness, the ulnar 

 operation is sometimes referred to as a method of turning 

 failure into success. But the number of such operations per- 

 formed have been few, and,- the success met by them is still 

 unknown to the veterinary profession. It is by no means a 

 standard operation today; the veterinary practitioners are 

 little acquainted with its worth or the method of perform- 

 ance. 



INDICATIONS. — The ulnar or cubital cutaneous nerve, 

 a radicle of the brachial plexus, is closely related to the me- 

 dian or cubito-plantar, in the region of the arm. In the fore- 

 arm it occupies a rather superficial position between the 

 middle and external flexors of the carpus. Near the trape- 

 zium it joins a branch of the median to form the external 

 plantar, and also sends a branch over the anterior surface of 

 the knee. Its influence over the sensibility of the knee is, 

 however, limited to the superficial structures. To the ten- 



