Multiple schwannomas of the foot: report of a case

Schwannoma, a relatively common tumor of the nerve sheath, rarely involves the foot. A review of the literature disclosed that most reports of schwannoma of the foot were solitary tumors. There has been only one reported case of multiple schwannomas of the foot. We report a case of multiple schwannomas involving both the medial and lateral plantar nerves of the right foot. The patient had been treated for plantar fasciitis for the previous eight years. After excision of one tumor, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used in the diagnosis, revealing four additional tumors. These tumors were also successfully excised and the patient's symptoms relieved. Patients with prolonged intractable pain and tenderness of the foot may require examination by MRI or sonography to search for deep tumors impinging upon the plantar nerves.