True neurolysis in the treatment of Morton's neuroma
Diebold, P.F.; Delagoutte, J.P.
Acta Orthopaedica Belgica 55(3): 467-471
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6462 PMID: 2603689 Document Number: 346432
The authors consider Morton's neuroma as a tunnel syndrome, the most likely etiology being the compression of the nerve by the intermetatarsal ligament. Therefore, they have treated Morton's disease by decompression of the intermetatarsal nerve via a dorsal approach. They operated 45 patients, 82% of whom were women. In 85% of the cases, a large neuroma was found and they did not find the theoretical predominance of the 3rd intermetatarsal space; 9 times in 10, the treatment consisted in epineural dissection of the nerve and its collaterals at the bifurcation. In 84% out of the cases, the result was satisfactory; associated pathology was treated at the same time. The authors discuss the results and emphasize that, in case of failure, a simple neurectomy may be used.