Morton's Neuroma Research Articles

High-resolution ultrasound and MRI in the evaluation of the forefoot and midfoot.

Radiography is the appropriate initial imaging modality to assess for midfoot and forefoot pathology before turning to advanced imaging techniques. While most lesions of the mid- and forefoot can be diagnosed clinically, the exact nature and severity of the pathology is often unclear. This review addresses the use of the ultrasound, as well as the added value of magnetic resonance imaging, in diagnosing conditions of the midfoot and forefoot. Ultrasound allows a dynamic assessment as well as enabling imaging-guided interventions for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Practical tips for optimal examination of this area with ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging are provided. Metatarsal stress fracture, Chopart's injury, Lisfranc injury, as well as the 1st metatarsophalangeal joint injury and lesser metatarsophalangeal plantar plate injury are injuries unique to the mid- and forefoot. The imaging anatomy of the 1st and lesser metatarsophalangeal joints is reviewed, as such knowledge is key to correctly assessing injury of these joints. Characteristic imaging features of masses commonly encountered in the mid- and forefoot, such as ganglion cyst, Morton neuroma, gouty tophus, plantar fibroma, foreign body granuloma, and leiomyoma are reviewed. The use of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in assessing degenerative and inflammatory joint disorders, and in particular rheumatoid arthritis, of the mid- and forefoot region is also reviewed. In summary, when necessary, most lesions of the mid-and forefoot can be adequately assessed with ultrasound, supplemented on occasion with radiographs, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging.

Ultrasound Guided Cryoablation of Morton’s Neuroma: Case Series Including Post-Ablation MRI Appearances

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: Morton’s neuroma (MN) is a very common compressive neuropathy of the interdigital nerve. Non- operative management is recommended initially and many therapies have been described. Cryoablation has shown promising results, however there are limited published studies in the literature. The purpose of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of Cryoablation in patients with MN. A secondary aim was to evaluate post-procedure MRI appearances. Methods: A retrospective analysis was completed for 24 MN treated between June 2021 and September 2022. All patients had refractory MN symptoms after previous US guided steroid and LA injection within the previous year. Three patients also had refractory symptoms after prior alcohol ablation. Cryoablation was performed as a single outpatient procedure under continuous US monitoring and local anesthesia with 1 cycle for average of 2 minutes. Telephone follow up by radiology department with a 0–10 visual analogue scale (VAS) score was performed at 6 weeks and 3 months post-ablation. The patients were also encouraged to submit patient reported outcomes to a British Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS) online scoring database as facilitated by the surgical team. Post-ablation MRI was performed to evaluate for post-procedure appearances at various intervals between 3 to 14 months. Results: 24 MN were treated. The mean size of MN treated was 12.3mm. Technical success was 100% and all patients tolerated the procedure well under local anesthesia. Mean pre-procedure VAS pain score was 8, which reduced to 1 at 6 weeks, and 2 at 3 months follow up in the treated MN. There is high patient satisfaction with 20 cases (83%) very satisfied. Four cases had various persistent symptoms and would want to have it done again (17%). Post-ablation MRI showed various bone and soft tissue changes in the ablation zone. There were two cases of fibrosis in the intermetatarsal space and one residual neuroma observed on MRI, although the patients were asymptomatic in the ablation site. No complications occurred e.g. infection, fracture or thermal injury. Conclusion: In this small series, ultrasound guided Cryoablation was deemed safe and effective treatment for MN. Clinical advantages of the procedure are good patient tolerance, single outpatient procedure, high patient satisfaction and reduced risk of scarring or residual neuroma. Further controlled prospective studies would be beneficial.

The Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid Injections in Soft Tissue Foot and Ankle Pathology: A Systematic Review

Category: Ankle; Basic Sciences/Biologics Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical outcomes, complication rates and failure rates at short-term follow-up following hyaluronic acid (HA) injection for the management of various soft tissue foot and ankle pathologies. Methods: During January 2023, the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library databases were systematically reviewed to identify clinical studies examining outcomes following HA injection for the management of various soft tissue foot and ankle pathologies. Data regarding study characteristics, patient demographics, pathological characteristics, subjective clinical outcomes, radiological outcomes, complications and failure rates were extracted and analysed. In addition, the level of evidence and quality of evidence for each individual study was also assessed. Results: Studies examining outcomes following HA injection included the following pathologies: Achilles tendinopathy (AT) (6 studies, 126 patients, weighted mean follow-up of 2.9 months), plantar fasciitis (PF) (2 studies, 54 patients, 4.3), lateral ankle sprains (LAS) (2 studies, 119 patients, follow-up of 11.4 months) and Morton's neuroma (MN) (1 study, 83 patients, follow-up of 12 months). Seven different HA formulations were utilised across 10 studies. Weighted mean pain and functional scores improved significantly in all 4 cohorts. The complication rates for the AT cohort, PF cohort, LAS cohort and MN include: 3.2%, 1.9%, 2.5% and 20.5%, respectively. The failure rates for the AT cohort, PF cohort, LAS cohort and MN include: 1.6%, 0%, 0% and 0%, respectively. Conclusion: This systematic review demonstrated improvements in subjective clinical outcomes together with low complication and failure rates following HA injections for various soft tissue foot and ankle pathologies at short term follow-up. However, the heterogeneity between the studies, low number of high quality studies and short-term follow-up limits the generation of any robust conclusions. Further research is warranted to assess the optimal role of HA in the management of foot and ankle soft tissue pathologies.

Revision Surgery for Recurrent Morton Neuroma with Use of a Collagen Conduit.

Revision Surgery for Recurrent Morton Neuroma with Use of a Collagen Conduit.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Foot Pain Induced by Morton Neuroma: A Novel, Personalized Approach in One Patient

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: Morton neuroma (MN) is a condition characterized by pain that is located within one or more intermetatarsal spaces of the forefoot. Numerous conservative measures are available for the management of mild-to-moderate MN cases. In more severe presentations, surgical interventions may be considered, including neuroma excision, cryogenic or radiofrequency ablation, and decompression. However, no standard treatments exist for occurrences of recurrent MN after surgery. Peripheral nerve stimulation is a neuromodulatory treatment that is highly effective for other neuropathic pain syndromes but remains underutilized for MN. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: Here, we present the operative technique and clinical outcome in a patient with chronic pain induced by MN who underwent bilateral implantation of peripheral nerve stimulation devices. In less than 12 months, the patient had near-complete resolution of chronic foot pain with no postoperative complications. DISCUSSION: We present the first published case and operative technique of successful peripheral nerve stimulator implantation as an effective treatment of MN. CONCLUSION: Peripheral nerve stimulator implantation is a promising and effective intervention that can be considered for refractory MN.

Is Morton's neuroma in a pes planus or pes cavus foot lead to differences in pressure distribution and gait parameters?

Morton's neuroma (MN) is a compressive neuropathy of the common digital plantar nerve causing forefoot pain. Foot posture and altered plantar pressure distribution have been identified as predispoing factors, however no studies have compared individuls with different foot postures with MN. Thus, we aimed to compare the effect of MN on spatiotemporal gait parameters and foot-pressure distribution in individuals with pes planus and pes cavus. Thirty-eight patients with unilateral MN were evaluated between June and August 2021. Nineteen patients with bilateral pes planus and 19 age and gender-matched patients with pes cavus who had no prior surgery were recruited. A Zebris FDM–THM–S treadmill system (Zebris Medical GmbH, Germany) was used to evaluate step length, stride length, step width, step time, stride time, cadence, velocity, foot-pressure distribution, force and whole stance phase, loading response, mid stance, pre-swing and swing phase percentages. There were no significant differences between the groups in spatiotemporal gait parameters (p > 0.05). Patients with pes planus displayed the following results for step length (49.36 ± 8.38), step width (9.05 ± 2.12), stance phase percentage (65.92 ± 2.11), swing phase percentage (34.08 ± 2.12), gait speed (2.96 ± 0.55), and cadence (100.57 ± 8.84). In contrast, patients with pes cavus displayed the following results for step length (49.06 ± 8.37), step width (8.10 ± 2.46), stance phase percentage (64.96 ± 1.61), swing phase percentage (34.79 ± 1.60), gait speed (2.95 ± 0.65), and cadence (99.73 ± 13.81). Foot-pressure distribution values showed no differences were detected in force, forefoot, and rearfoot pressure distribution, except for midfoot force (p < 0.05). The forefoot, midfoot, and rearfoot pressure values for the pronated group were 32.14 ± 10.90, 13.80 ± 3.03, and 22.78 ± 5.10, and for the supinated group were 33.50 ± 11.49, 14.23 ± 3.11 and 24.93 ± 6.52. MN does not significantly affect spatiotemporal gait parameters or foot-pressure distribution in patients with pes cavus or pes planus.

Ultrasound guided injections in ankle and foot.

Ultrasound guidance is particularly useful for percutaneous injections in the diagnosis and management of painful conditions of the ankle and foot. The injectates used include steroids and local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine, ropivacaine, and platelet-rich plasma. Osteoarthritis is the main indication for joint injections. Joints amenable to being injected include the tibiotalar, subtalar, midtarsal, and metatarsophalangeal joints. Tendon injections mainly involve the Achilles, peroneus, extensors, and tibialis tendons, while plantar fascia injections are useful for treating plantar fasciitis and plantar fibromatosis. Forefoot injections include joint arthritis, intermetatarsal bursitis, and Morton neuroma. The standardized approaches and doses reviewed in this paper are based on the authors' experience and can lead to high success in symptomatic relief for various conditions. These injections can be curative or serve as a guide to identify the source of pain when surgery or other therapeutic options are planned.

Comparing Clinical Examination and Radiological Evaluation in the Preoperative Diagnosis and Location of Symptomatic Interdigital (Morton's) Neuroma

This study investigates whether clinical examination is as sensitive as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and localization of symptomatic interdigital neuroma. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at two tertiary centers on all consecutive patients who underwent excision by a single foot and ankle specialist surgeon for a presumed interdigital neuroma between January 2008 and December 2020. Investigators collected pre-operative clinical findings, radiological investigations and post-operative outcomes. Sensitivity and positive predictive value were calculated and Z-score for two populations proportions was performed. 114 consecutive patients were operated on for 131 suspected interdigital neuroma. Thirteen patients were excluded due to lack of adequate clinical documentation. Of the remaining 101 patients with 118 suspected interdigital neuroma, 115 were confirmed histologically (97.5%). The sensitivity of clinical assessment to accurately diagnose and place an interdigital neuroma in the correct space was calculated as 96.5%. The most common pre-operative clinical feature was pain (99.2%). The calculated sensitivity for ultrasound to accurately diagnose an interdigital neuroma was 83.6%, and to correctly locate neuroma was 79.5% respectively, which were both statistically different compared to clinical assessment (P-value: <0.001 and P-value: <0.001). The calculated sensitivity for MRI to accurately diagnose an interdigital neuroma was 93.6%, which was statistically different to clinical assessment (P-value: 0.005). Pre-operative clinical assessment has the highest sensitivity to accurately diagnose interdigital neuroma when compared to MRI and ultrasound. Pre-operative clinical assessment has higher sensitivity to accurately locate interdigital neuroma when compared to ultrasound.

MODERN POSSIBILITIES OF ULTRASOUND SCAN IN DIAGNOSIS OF MORTON'S NEUROMA

About 60% of healthy people at least once in their lives complained of pain in the anterior foot that was diagnosed as Morton's neuroma. According to numerous resources, ultrasound scan is one of the leading methods for diagnosing the condition of the soft tissues in the foot, thus, this diagnostic technique can be considerably helpful in determining the nature and extent of the pathological condition and making the decision about the necessity of surgical treatment. Aim: to assess the potential of ultrasound investigation and to systematize the ultrasound criteria for Morton's neuroma using a two-dimensional mode, colour and energy mapping, and functional ultrasonography. Material and methods. We analyzed the findings obtained by the ultrasound scan of soft tissues in the foot of 26 people who complained of pain in the projection of 3-4 metatarsophalangeal joints. The following echographic data were evaluated: homogeneity, echogenicity, integrity of the soft tissues of the intermetatarsal spaces and tendons of the fingers, the presence of effusion in the articular capsules and tendon sheaths, the number of vascular signals in the affected area during power Doppler mapping. Results and discussion. In the control group of patients, the analysis of ultrasound has revealed the following echographic features: the contour of the cortical layer of the metatarsal bones is represented by a hyperechoic line with a clear acoustic shadow along it in all cases (100%); flexor tendons of the toes are located above the surfaces of the bones (100%); no masses are found in the intermetatarsal spaces in 100% of cases; the width of the intermetatarsal spaces is 5.0–9.0 mm in all cases (100%). In the main group of patients, the analysis of ultrasound findings has revealed the following structural changes: the contour of the cortical layer of the metatarsal bones is represented by a hyperechoic circular line with a clear acoustic shadow along it in 8 cases (30.7%); in 18 cases (69.3%) the contour of the cortical layer is uneven with a fuzzy acoustic shadow; flexor tendons of the toes are of reduced echogenicity and have heterogeneous structure in 16 cases (61.5%); space-occupying formations have been found in the intermetatarsal spaces of the III-IV toes in 24 cases (92.3%), and in the intermetatarsal spaces of the II-III toes and in 2 cases (7.7%); the width of the intermetatarsal spaces at the location of the mass formation in all cases (100%) is 10.0-15.0 mm. Conclusion. At the present, the access to ultrasound, its non-invasiveness, the absence of ionizing radiation, the possibility of dynamic observation, and relatively high accuracy in assessing the tibial nerve put it at the forefront in the diagnostic algorithm for detecting Morton's neuroma.

MORTON’S NEUROMA

Introduction: In 1876 American surgeon Thomas George Morton first detailed compressive neuropathy of the interdigital nerve of the forefoot. Mortons neuropathy occurs mostly. The condition is generated secondary to repeated pressure or irritation that leads to thickening of the nerve, located in the second or third intermetatarsal space. It is suggested that the use of pointed heel shoes could be a triggering factor for the development of this pathology due to the increased pressure on the forefoot. Objective: to describe the current information related to Mortons neuroma etiology, epidemiology, presentation, diagnosis, management and treatment. Methodology: a total of 39 articles were analyzed in this review, including review and original articles, as well as clinical cases, of which 29 bibliographies were used because the other articles were not relevant to this study. The sources of information were PubMed, Google Scholar and Cochrane; the terms used to search for information in Spanish, Portuguese and English were: Morton, neuroma, neuritis, neuralgia, interdigital. Results: it is more frequently present in the female sex, presenting a female:male ratio of 4:1 in some bibliographies and 5:1 in others. The average age at the time of surgery is 50 years old. In 21% of the cases the neuroma is bilateral, in 66% of the cases it is related to the third space, 2% to the fourth and 32% to the second. A study showed that the average diameter of Mortons neuroma was 4.1 mm in the asymptomatic staff versus 5.3 mm in the symptomatic group. Conclusions: This condition is certainly not a neuroma as it is a degenerative rather than neoplastic condition due to fibrosis of the digital nerve. The diagnosis is primarily clinical, where there may be altered sensation and a dorsal bulge. Examinations, investigations and non-surgical treatment are the same as those used in a primary neuroma. The use of orthoses and footwear modifications is indicated for conservative treatment. For surgical treatment, dorsal and plantar approaches are used, each with their advantages and disadvantages. The dorsal incision should be extended proximally to observe the residual limb, however sometimes exposure becomes difficult. The plantar approach provides better exposure for the nerve to be easily identified and resected, however the presence of painful scarring is notable. Other complications that may occur are atrophy, recurrence and chronic pain. KEY WORDS: Morton, neuroma, neuritis, neuritis, neuralgia, interdigital.

Diagnostic Considerations of Intermetatarsal Bursitis: A Systematic Review.

Intermetatarsal bursitis (IMB) is an inflammation of the intermetatarsal bursas. The condition causes forefoot pain with symptoms similar to those of Morton's neuroma (MN). Some studies suggest that IMB is a contributing factor to the development of MN, while others describe the condition as a differential diagnosis. Among patients with rheumatic diseases, IMB is frequent, but the scope is yet to be understood. The aim of this paper was to investigate the diagnostic considerations of IMB and its role in metatarsalgia by a systematic review approach. We identified studies about IMB by searching the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science in September 2022. Of 1362 titles, 28 met the inclusion criteria. They were subdivided according to topic: anatomical studies (n = 3), studies of patients with metatarsalgia (n = 10), and studies of patients with rheumatic diseases (n = 15). We conclude that IMB should be considered a cause of pain in patients with metatarsalgia and patients with rheumatic diseases. For patients presenting with spreading toes/V-sign, IMB should be a diagnostic consideration. Future diagnostic studies about MN should take care to apply a protocol that is able to differ IMB from MN, to achieve a better understanding of their respective role in forefoot pain.

From second webspace syndrome to second cross over toe: Clinical and radiological findings following Weil osteotomy with no soft tissue procedure

BackgroundThe second webspace syndrome (SWS) refers to the progressive divergence between 2nd and 3rd toes associated with pain at the second intermetatarsal space that can be confused with Morton's neuroma and treated as such without considering the underlying deformity. There is yet no consensus regarding the best treatment, from isolated soft tissue or bony procedures or a combination of both.The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of the disease, as well as to evaluate the radiological outcomes of patients with SWS treated with open Weil's osteotomy or distal metatarsal minimal invasive osteotomy (DMMO) of the second metatarsal, with main emphasis on medialization of the head in the anteroposterior plane in either procedure. MethodsA retrospective study of all patients with SWS treated with Weil's medializing osteotomy (open and percutaneous) associated or not with other forefoot procedures, treated between 2012 and 2019, was performed. Radiological variables such as metatarsal-phalangeal angle (MTPA), percentage of metatarsal uncoverage of M2 with respect to its phalanx, intermetatarsal angle (M1, M2 and M3), length of second metatarsal and intermetatarsal distance M2 - M3 were measured and compared before and after surgery. ResultsTwenty-six patients were included, with a mean follow-up of 26 months. All patients presented divergence between the 2nd and 3rd toes, 75 % associated pain at the level of the second intermetatarsal space and two patients presented neuropathic symptoms. After surgery (nineteen open and seven DMMO), all patients rated their results as good or excellent, and the two patients with neuropathic symptoms had improvement in their symptoms. Regarding the radiological results, the percentage of subluxation of the second MTP decreased in a large percentage of the operated patients (from 43.3 % to 3.9 %) with statistical significance as well as the length of M2, IM angle between M1 - M2, IM distance between M2-M3 and the percentage of uncoverage of the second MTP (p < 0.001). ConclusionMedial translation associated with open Weil osteotomy or DMMO seems to correct the muscle-ligament imbalance of the second metatarsophalangeal joint and restore normal radiographic measurements, especially in the coronal and sagittal plane, without the need for soft tissue procedures, as well as the resolution of associated neuropathic symptoms in some patients. Level of evidenceLevel IV, retrospective case series

Presurgical Perspective and Postsurgical Evaluation of Morton's Neuroma and Other Nerve Lesions.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a robust method used for both preoperative and postoperative evaluation of Morton's neuroma and other neural lesions. MRI is used to confirm the diagnosis and for precise localization, estimation of outcome, and differential diagnoses. The differential diagnoses include mechanically induced plantar plate ruptures with associated Morton's neuroma-like tumors in the intermetatarsal/interdigital spaces; mechanical fibrosis cushion formations and pseudo bursae in the plantar foot adipose tissue; rheumatologic affections, such as rheumatoid nodules, gouty nodules, and intermetatarsal bursitis; and lastly the tenosynovial giant cell tumor (formerly called pigmented villonodular synovitis). In the postoperative evaluation after resection of Morton's neuroma, the same differential diagnoses must be considered as in the preoperative evaluation. Similarly, a high prevalence (up to 25%) of asymptomatic Morton's neuroma-like findings in the intermetatarsal and interdigital spaces should be kept in mind when interpreting postoperative recurrent forefoot pain after Morton's neuroma resection.

Interventional Imaging Techniques as Alternative to Surgery of the Foot and Ankle.

A variety of foot and ankle pathologies can impair patient's daily activities, ultimately requiring surgical management. However, with improvements in image-guided intervention, the joints, soft tissues, and osseous structures may be accessible using various percutaneous techniques as a potential alternative therapeutic tool, avoiding the need for surgery with its associated risks and morbidity. This article discusses the potential range of image-guided interventional treatments. Injections, aspiration, biopsies, cryoablation, and radiofrequency ablation are described. Newer novel treatments are also covered. Finally, the common pathologies of Morton's neuroma, Achilles tendinopathy, and plantar fasciitis are addressed.

Morton’s neuroma: etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis, and modern principles of treatment

The article highlights the history of Morton's neuroma study. The epidemiology, etiology, and main risk factors that act as a trigger in the development of this pathology are presented. The main pathogenesis links are revealed. Modern ideas about the development of the pathological process and the results of morphological studies are reflected, indicating that a pseudoneuroma is formed on the intermetatarsal nerve during microtrauma. Modern methods of diagnostics and criteria for making a diagnosis are listed. The role of CT, MRI, radiography, and ultrasound is shown. The clinical picture of the disease is presented. The measures for the prevention and conservative treatment of Morton's neuroma are described. The significance of therapeutic and diagnostic blockades is indicated, as consequent regression of the pain syndrome is a confirmation of Morton's neuroma in the patient. The diseases with which it is necessary to differentiate the described pathology are listed. The main methods of surgical interventions performed for Morton's neuroma are presented.

The Use of Amniotic Membrane for Peripheral Nerve Injury in Lower Extremity Surgical Procedures

Category: Basic Sciences/Biologics; Other Introduction/Purpose: Patients undergoing nerve decompression surgery often report persistent symptoms. Some have suggested that wrapping the affected nerve with amniotic membrane may improve outcomes if the nerve is wrapped with amniotic membrane at the time of surgery, possibly related to anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, or pro-regenerative effects. There is little in the foot and ankle literature to support such approaches. The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the initial safety of amniotic membrane use outcomes in foot and ankle surgery during nerve decompression procedures as an initial study in anticipation of a randomized, prospective trial. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed outcomes among 22 patients, &gt;=18 years old, who had undergone amniotic membrane neurorrhaphy for lower extremity nerves including sural, saphenous, superficial peroneal, common peroneal, deep peroneal, digital (Morton's neuroma), Baxter's and posterior tibial nerve. Patients may have had multiple nerves wrapped and have had other procedures done. All patients had failed conservative treatments including cortisone injections, orthotics, nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs, and physical therapy. Patients' demographics, postoperative complications, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), and preoperative/postoperative Visual Analog Scores (VAS) for pain was collected. Data were reported in a descriptive manner. Results: Twenty-two patients, 16 females and 6 males averaging 51 years of age were assessed. Only one patient of the twenty- two reported a higher postoperative VAS compared to the preoperative VAS. There were no post-operative infections or reactions to the amniotic membrane. No patient required repeat surgery. The average pre- and post-operative VAS were 6.36 and 2.77, respectively. The average PROMs Pain Interference and Pain Intensity (Short Form 4a and 3a, respectively) were 42.02 and 35.94, respectively, that were within the normal range. Conclusion: The use of amniotic membrane wrap in lower extremity nerve decompression procedures was shown to be safe regarding post-operative short-term complications in this series of patients. However, in order to prove the usefulness of this technique for pain and function improvement, further studies with larger populations, particularly randomized clinical trials with long term follow up are necessary.

Treatment of Morton's neuroma with minimally invasive distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy (DMMO) and percutaneous release of the deep transverse metatarsal ligament (DTML): a case series with minimum two-year follow-up.

The optimal treatment of symptomatic Morton's neuroma remains unclear; conservative methods are sometimes ineffective and neurectomy has significant rates of patient dissatisfaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of minimally invasive distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy (DMMO) and percutaneous release of the deep transverse metatarsal ligament (DTML) in patients with Morton's neuroma. Between January 2018 and November 2019, 27 patients (29 feet) diagnosed with Morton's neuroma after clinical and radiological evaluation underwent DMMO and percutaneous DTML release. The primary clinical outcomes were pain (VAS) and function (AOFAS score). Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction, complications, and radiographic outcomes. Patients were followed up for a minimum of twoyears. The median age of the participants was 66years (range 48-79) and the follow-up time was 28months (24-47). There was a decrease of 5.7 points in the VAS for pain (p < .001) and an increase of 19.9 in AOFAS (p < .001) after the surgical procedure. There was one case of superficial infection and one patient required resection of the neuroma (neurectomy). The majority of patients (89.7%) were satisfied and considered the procedure outcome as excellent or good. Treatment of Morton's neuroma with minimally invasive distal metatarsal metaphyseal osteotomy and percutaneous release of the deep transverse metatarsal ligament showed significant improvement in pain and function with a low incidence of complications and a high rate of personal satisfaction.

Complications of alcohol injections for Morton’s neuroma

Introduction Morton’s neuroma (MN) is a neuropathic metatarsalgia that causes pain in the plantar aspect of the forefoot generally between the third and fourth metatarsal heads. Treatment can be nonoperative or surgical. Among nonoperative procedures, alcohol injections are still commonly used as considered simple, relatively safe and well-tolerated treatment. However, they present transient and minor complications. Methods Two hundred patients with a diagnosis of MN underwent ultrasound-guided injections with a 47.5% alcohol solution between 2013 and 2020. We reviewed the current literature to highlight the known complications of this treatment, comparing them to the complications developed by our patients. Results Three patients out of 200 patients, developed necrosis of skin and subcutaneous tissue not described in previous studies about MN. Conclusions Our study focuses attention on the complications subsequent to the alcohol injection therapy for MN. Patients and surgeons should be aware that in a small number of cases this therapy can be burdened by necrotic complications of the skin.

Study of the Anatomical Association between Morton’s Neuroma and the Space Inferior to the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament Using Ultrasound

Morton’s neuroma (MN) is a common condition in clinical practice. The compressive etiology is the most accepted, in which compression occurs in the tunnel formed by the adjacent metatarsals, the deep transverse metatarsal ligament (DTML) and the plantar skin. Ultrasound (US) is a reliable method of study. The presence of insufficient space under the DTML may be related to the appearance of MN. Objectives: To verify the relationship between MN and the space under the DTML between the metatarsal heads of the third (M3) and the fourth (M4) metatarsals using US. Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study. The research study using the ultrasound (US) technique was carried out on 200 feet belonging to 100 patients aged 18 to 65 of both sexes, with a control group formed by 62 patients and a study group formed by 38 patients diagnosed with MN. Results: The presence of MN and the factors associated with it were studied in 100 patients using ultrasound (US). The assessment and comparison with US of the space inferior to the DTML between M3 and M4 in control groups and patients with MN show that patients with MN have a smaller size in the variable “h” (height or distance DTML-plantar skin), in the variable “b” (base or intermetatarsal distance M3 and M4) and in the variable “s” (surface of the parallelogram “h” × “b”). The predictors of MN are a decrease in dimension “b” and an increase in weight. Sitting in an office chair and the use of a bicycle, due to equinus, have an influence on the space below the DTML, reducing it and promoting the appearance of MN. Conclusions: The two US measurements (“h” and “b”) in the space below the DTML are smaller in patients with MN than in the asymptomatic group. A shorter distance between M3 and M4, and an increase in BMI are predictors of MN.

Novel Ultrasound Anatomical Measurement of the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament: An Intra-Rater Reliability and Inter-Rater Concordance Study.

Insufficient space below the Deep Transverse Metatarsal Ligament (DTML) could be an etiological factor for Morton’s Neuroma (MN). To date, there is a lack of studies measuring the space below the DTML. For this reason, this study assesses the intra- and inter-rater concordance and reproducibility of measurements of the space below the DTML between the third and the fourth metatarsal heads (M3 and M4) using ultrasound imaging to assess and verify the reliability and reproducibility of measurements of the space under the DTML. Forty feet from twenty patients were examined using ultrasound by three trained evaluators at two different times. The two measurements taken on each foot were: base (b)—distance between M3 and M4, and height (h)—distance between the DTML and the plantar skin surface. This was a quantitative, observational, analytical study. The concordance rate between observers for measurements of height and base were 98.5% and 99.5%, respectively. The mean area obtained of the space was 54.6 mm2 and 57.2 mm2 for both the left and right foot (p > 0.05). Reproducibility over time calculated in pre- and post-measurements showed an intraclass correlation coefficient of 1.00 (95%CI: 0.99–1.00), which leads us to conclude that the measurements are perfectly reproducible. Both measurements (height and base) of the space under the DTML, performed by ultrasound, are reliable and reproducible.