Neurectomy of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve resulted in a “profound” atrophy of the muscular portion of the proximal suspensory ligament reports researchers in the Equine Veterinary Journal.

The surgical procedure is routinely performed for the management of inflammation of the proximal suspensory ligament (proximal suspensory desmitis). Multiple retrospective studies have shown that horses treated by a neurectomy have a good prognosis for returning to function and work post-operatively.

Based on the authors’ ultrasonographic finding that horses treated with neurectomies have small suspensory ligaments, they hypothesized that a neurogenic atrophy–abnormalities of the muscle due to loss of nerve supply–was occurring