Information for Patients

From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Problemas Comunes de los Pies (Common foot problems)

Morton's Neuroma

by Craig I. Title, MD; Lew C. Schon, MD

Morton's neuroma is a compression neuropathy with associated perineural fibrosis of the interdigital nerve in the forefoot due to entrapment of the nerve near the distal edge of the transverse intermetatarsal ligament. Interdigital neuritis is the more recently accepted term for this disorder, as it is not truly a neuroma.

When nonoperative intervention has failed, options for surgical treatment include neurectomy, neurectomy with nerve burial, transverse intermetatarsal ligament release, and endoscopic decompression of transverse metatarsal ligament. While this OKO topic gives an overview of each of these options, it provides detailed coverage of neurectomy procedures.

Keywords: foot pain, forefoot pain, interdigital neuroma, interdigital neuritis, neuropathy, forefoot paresthesias, forefoot numbness, incidence, epidemiology, etiology, mechanism of injury, diagnosis, patient history, physical examination, imaging, radiography, MRI, ultrasound, differential diagnosis, management, surgical techniques, surgical treatment, nonsurgical treatment, neurectomy, revision neurectomy, transverse intermetatarsal ligament release, endoscopic decompression of transverse metatarsal ligament, surgical approaches, dorsal approach, plantar approach, indications, contraindications, complications, outcomes

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