Complex salvage procedures for severe lower extremity nerve pain.

From 1995 to 1999, the senior author did revision nerve release and vein wrapping (58 limbs in 58 patients) or peripheral nerve stimulation (62 limbs in 62 patients) to relieve intractable lower extremity nerve pain. Vein wrapping was done if the patient had temporary relief after a previous nerve release, if there was evidence of scarring around the nerve, and if nerve pain was triggered by mechanical stimulation. Peripheral nerve stimulation was done when previous nerve operations provided no relief or if the nerve pain was more constant and spontaneous without mechanical provocation. The duration of symptoms preoperatively averaged 52 months, and the number of previous peripheral neurosurgical interventions averaged 2.5. Postoperatively, the average pain improvement was rated as 60% for the patients who had vein wrapping and 41% for the patients who had peripheral nerve stimulation. Of the patients who had vein wrapping, 53% were satisfied, 14% were somewhat satisfied, and 33% were dissatisfied. Of the patients who had peripheral nerve stimulation, 61% were satisfied, 21% were somewhat satisfied, and 18% were dissatisfied. Most patients (78%) stated they would undergo the procedures again.

Surgical treatment of chronic lower extremity neuropathic pain.

The current authors retrospectively reviewed 147 lower extremity peripheral nerve procedures in 114 patients (average age, 42 years) with chronic lower extremity neuropathic pain to determine whether surgical treatment based on an empirically derived algorithm could reduce pain and improve function. This algorithm assigns crush, stretch, and chronic transection injuries to treatment with transection and containment. Peripheral nerve stimulation was used in conjunction with transection and containment for patients with more chronic presentations for whom previous transections had been unsuccessful. Patients with adhesive neuralgia underwent revision neurolysis with vein wrapping. Patients with repetitive nerve trauma (overuse) underwent primary or revision neurolysis. Duration of symptoms averaged 37 months, and mechanisms of nerve injury included chronic transection, crush, adhesive neuralgia, stretch, repetitive trauma, and idiopathic etiology. Time to followup averaged 38 months. Pain and dysfunction were ranked from 0 points (no pain or dysfunction) to 10 points (pain prompting request for amputation or functional deficit warranting wheelchair use); preoperative and followup work status were documented. Average pain and dysfunction scores improved: 8.8 to 5.6 points and 7.6 to 5.0 points, respectively. Of the 114 patients, 52 (46%) patients improved their work status, including 35 of 87 (40%) involved in workers' compensation. There were no statistically significant differences in outcome based on mechanism of nerve injury or type of procedure. The consistent average improvement suggests this algorithm assigns the appropriate procedure to a given mechanism of injury.

The saphenous nerve: an external method for identifying its exit from the adductor canal.

The saphenous nerve is the largest and longest branch of the femoral nerve. At its proximal origin, it travels with the femoral artery. The nerve passes lateral to medial in the adductor canal to emerge subcutaneously and supply the medial side of the knee. This investigation analyzes the course of the nerve in 24 lower extremities (12 right, 12 left) and offers a standardized measuring system for externally pinpointing the nerve's exit from the canal. This study may benefit physicians who treat patients with knee pain of obscure etiology. It probably will have direct application to saphenous nerve injection by physicians as part of a pain-management program.