Traction Neurectomy for Treatment of Painful Residual Limb Neuroma in Lower Extremity Amputees.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the outcomes of traction neurectomy as a surgical treatment for symptomatic neuroma of the residual lower extremity and to identify clinical and/or demographic factors associated with an increased likelihood of persistent or recurrent pain after surgery.

DESIGN

Retrospective Cohort Study.

SETTING

Amputee clinic at a Level I Trauma Center.

PATIENTS: Inclusion required a history of transfemoral or transtibial amputation and a history of symptomatic neuroma(s) at the residual limb treated with traction neurectomy. Twelve months of clinical follow-up or the recurrence of neuroma-type pains was required for inclusion. Thirty-eight patients (63 nerves) comprised the study group.

INTERVENTION: Traction neurectomy for treatment of symptomatic neuroma.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was the presence or absence of persistent or recurrent neuroma-type pain at last follow-up. The secondary outcome was reoperation for persistent or recurrent symptomatic neuroma.

RESULTS

Sixteen of 38 patients (42%) had recurrent or persistent neuroma-type pain at a mean follow-up of 37 months (range, 11-91 months), and 8/38 (21%) have undergone subsequent surgical treatment. Among the demographic and clinical features examined, only male gender was found to be a statistically significant predictor of persistent or recurrent neuroma-type pain.

CONCLUSIONS

Traction neurectomy results in a high rate of persistent or recurrent neuroma-type and that surgeons should be cautious when considering it for the treatment of symptomatic neuroma of the residual lower extremity. Furthermore, efforts to identify better surgical and nonsurgical treatments for this problem are justified.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.