PLANTAR NEUROTOMY. 159 



38. PI,ANTAR NEUROTOMY. 

 Pl,AT5 XXVI. 



Objects. The relief of navicular, or ringbone lameness 

 or other painful, non-suppurating disease of any parts below 

 the fetlock joint. 



Instruments. Razor, scissors, convex scalpel, compres- 

 sion artery forceps, tenacula, aneurism needles, suture ma- 

 terial, elastic ligature. 



Technic. It is well to apply a bandage saturated with 

 sublimate or creolin solution to the fetlock joint 24 hrs. be- 

 fore the operation in order to secure thorough disinfection. 



Confine the animal and fix the limb as in the preceding 

 operation. After the removal of the disinfecting bandage, 

 shave the site of operation and thoroughly disinfect the 

 region of the metacarpus and fetlock with soap, brush, and 

 sublimate or creolin solution and 50% alcohol. Passing 

 the fingers from before to behind with light pressure over 

 the region just above the fetlock joint, there is felt immedi- 

 ately in front of the fl exor pedi s tendon a channel-like de- 

 pression extending from above the fetlock downward over 

 it. Just at the anterior margin of the flexor pedis tendon 

 and at the posterior part of the groove lies the threadlike 

 cord of the nerve, n, 3 mm. thick, which glides away from 

 underneath the fingers with a distinct recoil. The_site_o£ 

 operation lies immediately a bove^ theJe tlock i n the posterior 

 third of the metacarpus or one may operate at any point 

 higher up as far as beyond the middle of the metacarpus or 

 metatarsus so long as care is taken to include the anasto- 

 mosing branch given off by the median plantar nerve at 

 about the middle of the metacarpus and bending obliquely 

 around behind the tendons to join the lateral nerve some- 

 what lower down. 1/ At this point stretch the skin between 

 the thumb and index finger of one han4 and make an incision 



