PLANTAR NEURECTOMY. 
615 
very convenient to apply a rubber bandage from the fetlock to the knee 
and to pass a stout rubber cord tightly round the limb just above the 
knee itself: the bandage is then removed, leaving the parts practically 
bloodless and partially anaesthetic. 
The operation is usually performed first on the inner side, as the wound 
can then be better guarded against soiling than in the opposite case. 
By observing antisepsis primary union can be obtained. After ascer¬ 
taining the position of the nerve by palpation an incision about 1 to 1J 
inches long is made directly over it. The nerve is readily recognised by 
its fibrous appearance and lighter colour. A skilful operator will expose 
the nerve with one stroke of the knife, and the skin incision should 
certainly not require more if good union is to be obtained. Any trifling 
bleeding is checked with tampons of cotton-wool and the nerve freed 
from surrounding tissues with a few touches of the knife. A thread is 
then passed under the nerve with a curved needle, and a portion of the 
nerve about half an inch long freed and one limb of a pair of scissors 
passed under it. The nerve is then divided at the upper angle of the 
wound, by smartly closing the scissors. The animal usually struggles 
at this stage. Division of the lower part of the nerve is unattended with 
pain. Any blood is removed with tampons of cotton-wool and the parts 
cleansed, if necessary, with sublimate or carbolic solution. The skin is 
brought together with one or two interrupted silk sutures and the parts 
covered with iodoform collodion, wound gelatine, or a small cotton-wool 
dressing. 
The operation on the outside of the limb is performed in a precisely 
similar manner, the point of incision only differing. The nerve can 
readily be discovered at the point where it passes over the postero¬ 
external surface of the fetlock-joint as a small hard cord which rolls 
under the finger. Fgures 231 to 235 clearly show the position. 
The wound usually heals in five to eight days, provided antisepsis 
has been observed and the incisions skilfully made. It is best, if 
possible, to avoid washing out the wound with disinfectants, as the tissues 
are thereby injured and healing is slower. In a word, asepsis is prefer¬ 
able to antisepsis. 
During the last year or two neurectomy has been performed without 
casting by injecting 30 to 60 minims of a 10 per cent, solution of cocain 
into the subcutis immediately within the area of operation. By applying 
an Esmarch bandage and rubber cord the operation can be performed with¬ 
out bleeding. The horse’s foot can be placed on a farrier’s shoeing block 
so as to bring it to a convenient height for operation. 
Sometimes the horse becomes sound immediately after operation, some¬ 
times lameness only disappears by degrees. In other cases improvement is 
effected, but the animal does not become sound. Such cases are usually due 
