106 - Saphenous Neuralgia

Abstract

Saphenous neuralgia is an uncommon cause of medial calf pain that may occur after vascular surgery on the lower extremity. With the increased number of total knee arthroplasties being performed, trauma to the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve may cause damage, producing pain and numbness over the patellar tendon. Patients with saphenous neuralgia often experience the medial pseudoclaudication type of pain that may confuse the clinical evaluation and lead the clinician to suspect lumbar spinal stenosis. Saphenous neuralgia also may be due to compression of the nerve by tumor, hemorrhage, or abscess. This compression usually occurs at the level at which the nerve exits from Hunter canal. Stretch injuries to the saphenous nerve also can occur at this point. The nerve is subject to compression as it crosses to the medial knee. Compression of the saphenous nerve at the knee is known as surfer’s knee because of compression of the saphenous nerve by the edge of the surfboard. Diabetes can affect the saphenous nerve, but this is usually in conjunction with neuropathy of the other nerves of the lower extremity.