NEUROMA OF THE SURAL NERVE AS A COMPLICATION OF STRIPPING OF THE SMALL SAPHENOUS-VEIN

BACKGROUND Two cases of neuroma of the sural nerve after stripping of the small saphenous vein are reported. PATIENTS This 39-year-old woman and this 52-year-old man complained of paresthesia and burning pain, which worsened with walking, in the area of the sural nerve, about 1 m onth after saphenectomy of the small saphenous vein. RESULTS Explorato ry surgery in both cases led to the identification of the spindle neur oma-in-continuity of the sural nerve confirmed histologically. The ner ve was sectioned and the proximal stump implantated under the deep fas cia. This resulted in complete remission of the symptoms in one case, and partial in the other. CONCLUSION It is likely that the nerve was l acerated during stripping, as a process of periphlebitis might cause a dhesion of the vein to the nerve, and then the spindle neuroma develop ed. The authors underline the necessity of including neuroma of the su ral nerve among the possible, albeit rare, complications of stripping of the small saphenous vein. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.