The treatment of painful neuroma on the lower extremity by resection and nerve stump transplantation into a vein.
Lower extremity neuroma resection with nerve stump transposition into a vein was employed in eight patients (five male, three female). The neuromas resulted from amputations (four patients), vein stripping procedures (two patients), tumor resection, and toe-harvest for thumb reconstruction. Follow-up averaged 17 months (range, 8-37). Four of the patients experienced complete and permanent relief of pain; in three patients mild pain recurred within 3 months. All of these patients were satisfied with the result and did not request further treatment. In one case, a painful neuroma recurred. Our results suggest the possibility of inhibiting the formation of painful neuromas by nerve transposition into a vein. Further use of this method is encouraged.
Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University Medical Center, Graz, Austria. horst.koch@meduni-graz.at
Horst
H
Koch
Martin
M
Hubmer
Heike
H
Welkerling
Andreas
A
Sandner-Kiesling
Erwin
E
Scharnagl
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005528:Foot / Q000098:blood supply; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009463:Neuroma / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000601:surgery / Q000637:transplantation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014680:Veins / Q000601:surgery