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Arthroscopy Techniques Dec 2015Morton neuroma is an entrapment of the intermetatarsal nerve by the deep intermetatarsal ligament. It is usually treated conservatively. Surgery is considered if there...
Morton neuroma is an entrapment of the intermetatarsal nerve by the deep intermetatarsal ligament. It is usually treated conservatively. Surgery is considered if there is recalcitrant pain that is resistant to conservative treatment. The surgical options include resection of the neuroma or decompression of the involved nerve. Decompression of the nerve by release of the intermetatarsal ligament can be performed by either an open or minimally invasive approach. We describe 2-portal endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerve. The ligament is released by a retrograde knife through the toe-web portal under arthroscopic guidance through the plantar portal.
PubMed: 27284515
DOI: 10.1016/j.eats.2015.08.003 -
Foot & Ankle Specialist Dec 2022Compression and irritation at the plantar aspect of the transverse intermetatarsal ligament may lead to a compressive neuropathy called Morton's neuroma. There are many...
Compression and irritation at the plantar aspect of the transverse intermetatarsal ligament may lead to a compressive neuropathy called Morton's neuroma. There are many treatment options for Morton's neuroma, with the most common surgical option being traction neurectomy. While there has been success in many surgical procedures, up to 35% of patients treated with traction neurectomy have recurrent pain and up to one-third of these patients have a recurrent stump neuroma. These neuromas are caused by abnormal axonal growth during regeneration, leading to an unorganized mass of fibrotic collagenous tissues, Schwann cells, and axons. More recent surgical treatments of neuromas have included nerve capping, which has been proposed to prevent painful neuroma formation by isolating the nerve end from external chemosignaling and reducing disorganized axonal outgrowth. An off-the-shelf, biocompatible porcine small intestine submucosa (pSIS) derived nerve cap with internal chambering has been investigated in a rodent study, which showed less pain sensitivity and less axonal swirling indicative of reduced likelihood of neuroma formation. Furthermore, a recent clinical study indicated that patients experienced a significant reduction in pain 3 months after Morton's neuroma excision followed by repair using a nerve cap. This article describes the surgical technique of the aforementioned clinical study to mitigate neuroma formation, where a Morton's neuroma is excised, and the remaining proximal nerve stump is inserted within a nerve cap and buried in the surrounding muscle. Level V: Expert opinion.
Topics: Humans; Swine; Animals; Morton Neuroma; Neuroma; Denervation; Pain; Extracellular Matrix
PubMed: 35778874
DOI: 10.1177/19386400221106642 -
Foot & Ankle Specialist Dec 2017Interdigital neuroma (IN), otherwise known as Morton's neuroma, is a common cause of metatarsalgia presenting to the elective foot and ankle clinic. Surgical excision of...
BACKGROUND
Interdigital neuroma (IN), otherwise known as Morton's neuroma, is a common cause of metatarsalgia presenting to the elective foot and ankle clinic. Surgical excision of the IN in patients who fail to respond to nonoperative measures is considered to be the gold standard of care in many centers. The Royal College of Pathologists UK recommend that all excised interdigital Morton's neuromas are sent for formal histopathological analysis. We present a study correlating clinical and radiological diagnosis with histopathologic appearances of IN following surgical excision, and question if routine histopathological analysis is warranted.
METHODS
A retrospective study was carried out in a single center. Ninety-six operative records were reviewed to identify all the cases of IN surgically resected between January 2007 and July 2016. The histopathology result of the resected IN specimen, that had a clinical and radiological diagnosis of IN, was analyzed.
RESULTS
A total of 85 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. We found that 100% of patients with a clinical, radiographic, and intraoperative diagnosis of a Morton's neuroma had a histopathological report confirming a Morton's interdigital neuroma.
CONCLUSION
In our single-surgeon series, histopathologic diagnosis is in complete agreement with clinical and radiological diagnosis. We therefore recommend that routine histopathological analysis of IN is not necessary, saving resources and providing a cost benefit. Histopathologic examination should be reserved only in cases where intraoperative findings do not concur with clinical and radiological features.
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE
Level IV: Case series.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Biopsy, Needle; Cohort Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Foot Diseases; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Metatarsalgia; Middle Aged; Morton Neuroma; Pain Measurement; Radiography; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; United Kingdom
PubMed: 28030965
DOI: 10.1177/1938640016685151 -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2016Capsaicin is the pungent ingredient of chili peppers and is approved as a topical treatment of neuropathic pain. The analgesia lasts for several months after a single... (Review)
Review
Capsaicin is the pungent ingredient of chili peppers and is approved as a topical treatment of neuropathic pain. The analgesia lasts for several months after a single treatment. Capsaicin selectively activates TRPV1, a Ca-permeable cationic ion channel that is enriched in the terminals of certain nociceptors. Activation is followed by a prolonged decreased response to noxious stimuli. Interest also exists in the use of injectable capsaicin as a treatment for focal pain conditions, such as arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. Recently injection of capsaicin showed therapeutic efficacy in patients with Morton's neuroma, a painful foot condition associated with compression of one of the digital nerves. The relief of pain was associated with no change in tactile sensibility. Though injection evokes short term pain, the brief systemic exposure and potential to establish long term analgesia without other sensory changes creates an attractive clinical profile. Short-term and long-term effects arise from both functional and structural changes in nociceptive terminals. In this review, we discuss how local administration of capsaicin may induce ablation of nociceptive terminals and the clinical implications.
PubMed: 27809268
DOI: 10.3390/ph9040066 -
The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery :... 2020Minimally invasive nerve decompression for operative management of Morton's neuroma has been shown to be an effective alternative to neurectomy; however, little is known... (Review)
Review
Minimally invasive nerve decompression for operative management of Morton's neuroma has been shown to be an effective alternative to neurectomy; however, little is known about postoperative outcomes. In this retrospective case series, we reviewed 27 procedures in 25 patients who underwent minimally invasive nerve decompression as primary surgical management for Morton's neuroma. Most subjects (22, or 88%) had 12 or more months of health plan enrollment postoperatively; 3 (12%) had 4 to 7 months of enrollment after the procedure. Postoperative patient satisfaction, complications and the need for a follow-up neurectomy were ascertained from medical record review. Additionally, demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic sources. Patient satisfaction was unknown for 5 (18.5%) of the 27 procedures. Among the 22 (81.5%) procedures for which there were valid patient satisfaction data, patient satisfaction was excellent for 11 (50%); good for 2 (9.1%), and poor for 9 (40.9%). During the follow-up period, 5 (18.5%) patients required an open neurectomy. Among the 6 (22.2%) patients who presented without a Mulder's sign on physical exam preoperatively, 83% reported excellent results. Minimally invasive nerve decompression may not be as effective as previously seen; however, it may be indicated in patients presenting with absence of a Mulder's sign, a physically small or nascent neuroma.
Topics: Decompression; Humans; Morton Neuroma; Neuroma; Neurosurgical Procedures; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 32830016
DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2020.05.011 -
The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery :... 2022Longitudinal plantar approaches are generally considered at risk for wound healing problems. Thus, we wanted to investigate long-term outcomes after a primary Morton's...
Longitudinal plantar approaches are generally considered at risk for wound healing problems. Thus, we wanted to investigate long-term outcomes after a primary Morton's neuroma excision through a longitudinal plantar approach. A retrospective study of patients with primary neuroma excision was conducted. Twenty-four patients (28 feet) were evaluated at a mean 9-year follow-up (range, 6-14) by a single trained examiner using a specific postoperative evaluation protocol, including AOFAS Forefoot subjective and objective scores. Good-to-excellent outcomes were reported in 25 (89.3%) cases. A hypertrophic scar formation and keratosis occurred in only 2 cases (7.1%). All the patients, with a single exception, achieved full weightbearing with a postoperative shoe from the first day after the operation. A longitudinal plantar approach can lead to long-term, good-to-excellent outcomes with no case of recurrence or reoperation. Accurate wound closure and immediate weightbearing with a postoperative shoe can minimize the rate of complications. This approach should be considered for primary resection of Morton's neuromas.
PubMed: 34782249
DOI: 10.1053/j.jfas.2021.10.010 -
Indian Journal of Orthopaedics 2017Morton's neuroma is a common cause of metatarsalgia and many treatments had been described in literature. However, there have been only a few reports that treat the...
BACKGROUND
Morton's neuroma is a common cause of metatarsalgia and many treatments had been described in literature. However, there have been only a few reports that treat the neuroma with an osteotomy on the proximal, not distal portion of the metatarsal bone using a plate. This study describes the clinical outcome of sliding osteotomy on the proximal metatarsal bone for the treatment of Morton's neuroma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Sixty five consecutive patients (85 feet) who underwent surgery for Morton's neuroma between November 2010 and February 2013 were identified from hospital records to include in this retrospective study. Average followup period was 37.3 months (range 24-51 months). Mean patient age at surgery was 50.2 years (range 23-75 years). Metatarsal sliding osteotomies were only performed on the third metatarsal bone. Clinical evaluations with the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Lesser Metatarsophalangeal Interphalangeal Scale (AOFAS LMIS) and Foot Function Index (FFI) were performed. The length of the lesser toe was measured for radiologic evaluation.
RESULTS
Postoperatively, AOFAS LMIS and FFI were improved from 52.1 (range 45-60) and 62.4 (range 54-73) to 74.2 (range 68-86) and 31.3 (range 26-37). At the last followup, preoperative pain was dissolved in 79 feet (93% of overall 85 feet). A shortened 3.2 mm (±1.1) metatarsal bone following osteotomy was radiographically measured. There were six cases of complications (soft tissue infection, early numbness, delayed union, limitation of dorsiflexion and metal failure, etc.).
CONCLUSIONS
This proximal metatarsal sliding osteotomy can be a relatively effective operative method in relieving pain from Morton's neuroma.
PubMed: 29200487
DOI: 10.4103/0019-5413.217678 -
Foot & Ankle Specialist Feb 2022Despite multiple surgical modalities available for the management of Morton's neuroma, complications remain common. Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) has yet to be...
BACKGROUND
Despite multiple surgical modalities available for the management of Morton's neuroma, complications remain common. Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) has yet to be explored as an option for the prevention of recurrence of Morton's neuroma. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the consistency of the relevant foot neurovascular and muscle anatomy and to demonstrate the feasibility of TMR as an option for Morton's neuroma.
METHODS
The anatomy of 5 fresh-tissue donor cadaver feet was studied, including the course and location of the medial and lateral plantar nerves (MPNs and LPNs), motor branches to abductor hallucis (AH) and flexor digitorum brevis (FDB), as well as the course of sensory plantar digital nerves. Measurements for the locations of the muscular and sensory branches were taken relative to landmarks including the navicular tuberosity (NT), AH, FDB, and the third metatarsophalangeal joint (third MTPJ).
RESULTS
The mean number of nerve branches to FDB identified was 2. These branch points occurred at an average of 8.6 cm down the MPN or LPN, 9.0 cm from the third MTPJ, 3.0 cm distal to AH distal edge, and 4.8 cm from the NT. The mean number of nerves to AH was 2.2. These branch points occurred at an average of 6.3 cm down the MPN, 11.9 cm from the third MTPJ, 0.8 cm from the AH distal edge, and 3.8 cm from the NT.
CONCLUSIONS
Recurrent interdigital neuroma, painful scar, and neuropathic pain are common complications of operative management for Morton's neuroma. Targeted muscle reinnervation is a technique that has demonstrated efficacy for the prevention and treatment of neuroma, neuropathic pain, and phantom limb pain in amputees. Herein, we have described the neuromuscular anatomy for the application of TMR for the management of Morton's neuroma. Target muscles, including the AH and FDB, have consistent innervation patterns in the foot, and consequently, TMR represents a viable option to consider for the management of recalcitrant Morton's neuroma.
LEVELS OF EVIDENCE
V.
Topics: Feasibility Studies; Foot; Foot Diseases; Humans; Morton Neuroma; Muscles; Neuroma
PubMed: 34854338
DOI: 10.1177/19386400211002702 -
Journal of the American Podiatric... Sep 2020Morton's neuromas are abnormalities of the common digital nerve branch located between the lesser metatarsal heads. Historically, interdigital (Morton's) neuromas have...
BACKGROUND
Morton's neuromas are abnormalities of the common digital nerve branch located between the lesser metatarsal heads. Historically, interdigital (Morton's) neuromas have been characterized as being most common in the third interspace and in females. The principal investigator observed Morton's neuromas commonly in the second and third interspaces in both sexes. To our knowledge, no literature exists to evaluate Morton's neuroma location with a focus on each sex independently. The present study evaluates Morton's neuroma interspace location and whether there is a variation by sex.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, 582 deidentified magnetic resonance imaging reports with a diagnosis code for Morton's neuroma were evaluated for patients scanned from January 2, 2015, through April 19, 2016. Incomplete records and those with radiologist findings inconsistent with Morton's neuroma were eliminated. For the remaining 379 patients, data were collected on sex, laterality, history of trauma, plantar plate tear, age, and interspace location. Special focus was given to second and third interspace Morton's neuromas. Data were evaluated using the Pearson χ2 and independent-samples Mann-Whitney U tests, with P < .05 indicating statistical significance.
RESULTS
No statistically significant distribution between sex and second and third interspace Morton's neuromas was noted. Right vs left foot, age, and history of trauma did not vary statistically significantly between sexes. There was a statistically significant difference between the presence of plantar plate tears between sexes. Male patients with Morton's neuromas were found to have a higher rate of plantar plate tears (P = .01).
CONCLUSIONS
This study found that there were no statistically significant differences between sexes and Morton's neuromas location, laterality, or age.
Topics: Female; Foot; Foot Diseases; Humans; Male; Morton Neuroma; Neuroma; Prevalence; Retrospective Studies
PubMed: 33179062
DOI: 10.7547/18-809 -
AJR. American Journal of Roentgenology Feb 2022. Morton neuroma is a common, painful disorder of the foot with multiple treatment options of varying cost and effectiveness. . The aim of this study was to determine... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
. Morton neuroma is a common, painful disorder of the foot with multiple treatment options of varying cost and effectiveness. . The aim of this study was to determine the most cost-effective treatment pathway for symptomatic Morton neuromas when conservative management has failed. . An incremental cost-utility analysis was performed comparing a direct to surgical neurectomy strategy with three selective injection strategies in which one or more ultrasound-guided injection therapies was tried first before surgery for patients who did not respond to treatment. The three selective injection strategies were selective steroid injection, selective alcohol injection, and selective steroid/alcohol injection in which both steroid injections and alcohol sclerosing injections were trialed successively before surgical neurectomy. The direct-to-surgery approach was compared with the three different selective injection strategies and with a no-treatment strategy in a decision-analytic model for a hypothetical group of patients with symptomatic Morton neuroma in whom conservative management had failed. Model parameters, including treatment costs, effectiveness, complication rates, and health utility states, were estimated from the literature, reimbursement databases, and expert opinion. The outcome was cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) with a time horizon of 3 years. A societal cost perspective was adopted with a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/QALY. Sensitivity analyses for key model parameters were performed. . For the base input values, the steroid/alcohol selective injection strategy was dominant and yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $4401.61/QALY compared with no treatment. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis supported this strategy in 74% of 10,000 simulated trials. Results were robust with low sensitivity to most input parameters. However, when the probability of successful alcohol injection treatment dropped below 40%, the steroid selective injection strategy became most cost-effective. . A trial of ultrasound-guided injection therapies for Morton neuroma is a cost-effective strategy compared with proceeding directly to surgical neurectomy. . Ultrasound-guided injection therapies are indicated as first-line treatment of patients with symptomatic Morton neuromas when conservative management fails.
Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Denervation; Ethanol; Health Care Costs; Humans; Morton Neuroma; Treatment Outcome; Ultrasonography, Interventional
PubMed: 34523955
DOI: 10.2214/AJR.21.26419