D. Eberhard et H. Millesi, PAIN SYNDROMES OF THE TIBIAL NERVE AT THE TRANSITION BETWEEN LOWER LEG AND FOOT, Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift, 105(16), 1993, pp. 462-466
The prognosis of surgical treatment of the tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS
) with regard to total pain relief is worse than following surgery of
the carpal tunnel syndrome. In TTS, additional static factors play a r
ole. The indication for surgery, therefore, is made with utmost reluct
ance. The surgical strategy is described extensively. In the majority
of patients a considerable improvement of symptoms can be achieved. Th
ere are, however, individual patients in whom surgical intervention is
followed by increased pain. Three such patients are reported. This pa
in syndrome is caused and increased by recurrent fibrosis of the nerve
bed, eventually including the integument and inducing entrapment neur
opathy by the contracted dermal covering. Surgical resolution of this
problem is transplantation of soft tissues to surround the nerve and s
kin grafting to augment the covering dermal layer.