Management of symptomatic neuromas: a narrative review of the most common surgical treatment modalities in amputees

Abstract

Symptomatic neuromas are an all-too-common complication following limb amputation or extremity trauma, leading to chronic and debilitating pain for patients. Surgical resection of symptomatic neuromas has proven to be the superior method of intervention, but traditional methods of neuroma resection do not address the underlying pathophysiology leading to the formation of a future symptomatic neuroma and lead to high reoperation rates. Novel approaches employ the physiology of peripheral nerve injury to harness the regeneration of nerves to their advantage. This review explores the underlying pathophysiology of neuroma formation and centralization of pain signaling. It compares the traditional surgical approach for symptomatic neuroma resection and describes three novel surgical strategies that harness this pathophysiology of neuroma formation to their advantage. The traditional resection of symptomatic neuromas is currently the standard of care for amputation patients, but new techniques including the regenerative peripheral nerve interface, targeted muscle reinnervation, and intraosseous transposition have shown promise in improving patient pain outcomes for postamputation pain and residual limb pain. Symptomatic neuromas are a chronic and debilitating complication following amputation procedures and trauma, and the current standard of care does not address the underlying pathophysiology leading to the formation of the neuroma. New techniques are under development that may provide improved patient pain outcomes and a higher level of care for symptomatic neuroma resection.