Endoscopic decompression of intermetatarsal nerve entrapment: a retrospective study

Sixty-nine patients who had 96 interspaces decompressed were retrospectively reviewed to assess the efficacy of the endoscopic decompression of the intermetatarsal nerve procedure. Cases were evaluated between October 1, 1993, and December 31, 1999. Of the 69 patients, 14 were men and 55 were women, and their average age was 50.6 years. Of the 96 interspaces released, 39 were second interspaces and 57 were third interspaces. Nine interspaces were lost to follow-up. There were 75 interspaces with excellent or good results (86%) and 12 with poor results (14%). Of the interspaces with poor results, five required further surgery. Those five interspaces, in five patients, were treated with traditional neurectomy. The other patients, accounting for seven interspaces, who classified their result as poor declined any further surgery. Evaluation of these cases was by means of medical chart review only, where the patient's success or failure was based on the patient's subjective assessment. None of the patients who underwent decompression developed a true amputation neuroma.