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Treatment of intermetatarsal Morton’s neuroma with alcohol injection under US guide: 10-month follow-up

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Abstract

Morton’s neuroma (MN) is a frequent cause of metatarsalgia. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of neuroma alcohol-sclerosing therapy (NAST) under US guide in MN after a 10-month follow-up. Forty intermetatarsal neuromas underwent alcohol-sclerosing therapy after sonographic evaluation of their dimensions and echotexture. After subcutaneous anesthesia, a sclerosing solution composed of anesthetic (carbocaine–adrenaline 70%) and ethylic alcohol (30%) was injected inside the mass under US guidance. The procedure was repeated at intervals of 15 days until the resolution of the symptoms. A total or partial symptomatic relief was obtained in 36 cases (90%). No procedure-related complications were observed. Transitory plantar pain, due to the flogistic reaction induced by the sclerosing solution, occurred in 6 cases (15%). The 10-month follow-up revealed a 20–30% mass volume reduction and an adiposus-like change in echotexture. In the 4 cases (10%) of therapeutic failure, the preliminary sonography demonstrated a hypoechoic echotexture with a strong US beam attenuation corresponding to a highly fibrous neuroma after surgical resection. The NAST is a feasible and cost-efficient procedure with high rates of therapeutic success.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Viale Oxford 81, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Ezio Fanucci, Salvatore Masala, Sebastiano Fabiano, Ettore Squillaci, Viviana Varrucciu & Giovanni Simonetti

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Viale Oxford 81, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Dario Perugia

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  1. Ezio Fanucci
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  2. Salvatore Masala
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  3. Sebastiano Fabiano
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  4. Dario Perugia
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  5. Ettore Squillaci
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  6. Viviana Varrucciu
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  7. Giovanni Simonetti
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Correspondence to Ezio Fanucci.

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Fanucci, E., Masala, S., Fabiano, S. et al. Treatment of intermetatarsal Morton’s neuroma with alcohol injection under US guide: 10-month follow-up. Eur Radiol 14, 514–518 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-003-2057-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-003-2057-7

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