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Updated: Jul 28, 2025
Cutaneous Surgical Denervation: A Method for Testing the Requirement for Nerves in Mouse Models of Skin Disease
Published on: June 26, 2016
Directed cutaneous neurectomy for cutaneous neuralgia
Charles E Lucas1, Anna M Ledgerwood1
1Detroit Receiving Hospital, 2nd Floor, 2V, 4201 St. Antoine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
Background:
Cutaneous neuralgia (CN) is a common challenge for surgical consultation. This report describes directed cutaneous neurectomy (DCN) for persistent CN.
Methods:
From 2010 through 2022, DCN was performed 112 times in 100 patients. All had complete temporary relief of CN by outpatient percutaneous proximal blockade. DCN involved a successful proximal blockade with blue dye added to the injectate, and all blue stained tissue was excised. The site of DCN included groin (49 patients), abdomen (38 patients), chest (7 patients), extremity (4 patients), or skull (2 patients). Relief was judged continuous (C), none (N), or temporary (T).
Results:
Pain relief was C in 82 patients (27 ± 20 mo), N in 6 patients, and T in 12 patients (22 ± 2 mo). The presence of microscopic nerve fibers (46 patients) or mesh (42 patients) did not affect outcome. A second DCN was done in two N patients, followed by C relief. A second DCN was done in seven T patients, and a third DCN was done in three T patients after recurrent CN.
Conclusions:
Refractory CN can usually be successfully treated by DCN.
