Schwannoma of the tibial nerve sheath as a cause of tarsal tunnel syndrome--a case study.

A schwannoma is a benign, encapsulated and non-invasive tumour whose origin is derived from Schwann cells. Its incidence in the foot and ankle is rare. The etiology, incidence, clinical presentation, histology, differential diagnoses and surgical treatment are discussed. The authors present a case of a schwannoma of the tibial nerve sheath causing tarsal tunnel syndrome of the foot. The diagnosis in this case was delayed for eight years, which unfortunately is not uncommon with pedal schwannomas.