Pull-through technique for palmar digital neurectomy: forty-one horses (1998-2004).
OBJECTIVE
To report outcome of horses treated for navicular syndrome using a pull-through (PT) technique for palmar digital neurectomy (PDN).


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Horses (n=41) with navicular syndrome (NS).


METHODS
Medical records (1998-2002) for horses that had NS and failed to respond to conservative management that had unilateral or bilateral forelimb, biaxial PDN were reviewed. Outcome for up to 6 years was obtained by telephone questionnaire or lameness examination. Survival analysis was used to assess time to recurrence of lameness.


RESULTS
One year after PDN, 36 horses (88%) were free of lameness. Mean survival with no lameness after surgery was estimated at 4.14+/-0.33 years (median, 5 years).


CONCLUSIONS
PT-PDN technique resulted in soundness for 88% of horses for at least 1 year. PT-PDN was easily and quickly performed without specialized equipment, and had a low incidence of complications.


CONCLUSIONS
The PT technique is an effective and viable alternative surgical method for PDN.
Maher
Omar
O
Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA. omaher@vmth.ucdavis.edu
Davis
David Michael
DM
Drake
Christiana
C
Myhre
Grant D
GD
Labbe
Karen M
KM
Han
Janet H
JH
Lejeune
Sarah S
SS
D000818:Animals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000601:surgery / Q000662:veterinary*; D005552:Forelimb / Q000294:innervation* / Q000601:surgery; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006736:Horses; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome