Pull-through technique for palmar digital neurectomy: forty-one horses (1998-2004).

Summary

# Palmar Digital Neurectomy Using the Pull-Through Technique: Long-term Outcomes in 41 Horses Navicular syndrome remains one of the most frustrating diagnoses in equine practice, and whilst conservative management forms the first line of treatment, some horses prove refractory and require surgical intervention. This retrospective review examined outcomes in 41 horses with navicular disease that underwent palmar digital neurectomy (PDN) using a pull-through technique—a method chosen specifically because it requires minimal equipment and can be performed relatively quickly in field or clinical settings. At one year post-operatively, 88% of horses were sound, with a mean survival time free from lameness of 4.14 years (median 5 years), demonstrating substantial and durable benefit for the majority of cases. The pull-through approach proved straightforward to execute and generated a notably low complication rate compared to some alternative neurectomy techniques. For practitioners managing navicular cases that have failed to respond to farriery, targeted injections, and conservative management, this data supports PDN via the pull-through technique as a practical and effective surgical option with realistic expectations of medium-to-long-term soundness.

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Key Findings

• •88% of horses (36/41) were sound at 1 year post-PDN using the pull-through technique
• •Mean survival time without lameness recurrence was 4.14 years (median 5 years)
• •Pull-through PDN was performed without specialized equipment and had low complication incidence

Conditions Studied