Operative management of neuromatous knee pain: Patient selection and outcome

The management of intractable knee pain secondary to neuromata continues to be optimized. Forty-three patients with intractable knee pain were studied prospectively. Consideration for this procedure requires pain of at least a 1-year duration, failure of conservative management, pain localization at a Tinel's point, and at least a 5-point reduction of pain on a visual anal og scale after nerve blockade with 1% lidocaine. Thirty patients met the cr iteria for the procedure and 25 patients underwent the procedure. Mean pati ent age was 50.3 years and mean duration of pain was 6.6 years. Pain etiolo gy included total knee replacement in 10 patients and trauma in 15 patients . Mean number of prior operations on the knee was 5.1, Sixty-two nerves wer e excised in the 25 patients, including the infrapatellar branch of the sap henous nerve (N = 24), the tibiofibular branch of the peroneal nerve (N = 5 ), the medial retinacular nerve (N = 12), the lateral retinacular nerve (N = 8), the medial cutaneous nerve (N = 6), the anterior cutaneous nerve (N = 3), and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (N = 4). Complete pain relief was obtained in 11 patients (44%). Partial pain relief was reported in 10 p atients (40%). No pain relief was reported in 4 patients (16%). Follow-up r anged from 1 to 4 years. Selective denervation for neuromatous knee pain is beneficial in select patients. Patient satisfaction was 84% (21 of 25 pati ents) after the procedure. No patient was made worse.