Operative management of neuromatous knee pain: patient selection and outcome

Abstract

The management of intractable knee pain secondary to neuromata continues to be optimized. Forty-three patients with intractable knee pain were studied prospectively. Consideration for this procedure requires pain of at least a 1-year duration, failure of conservative management, pain localization at a Tinel's point, and at least a 5-point reduction of pain on a visual analog scale after nerve blockade with 1% lidocaine. Thirty patients met the criteria for the procedure and 25 patients underwent the procedure. Mean patient age was 50.3 years and mean duration of pain was 6.6 years. Pain etiology included total knee replacement in 10 patients and trauma in 15 patients. Mean number of prior operations on the knee was 5.1. Sixty-two nerves were excised in the 25 patients, including the infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve (N = 24), the tibiofibular branch of the peroneal nerve (N = 5), the medial retinacular nerve (N = 12), the lateral retinacular nerve (N = 8), the medial cutaneous nerve (N = 6), the anterior cutaneous nerve (N = 3), and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (N = 4). Complete pain relief was obtained in 11 patients (44%). Partial pain relief was reported in 10 patients (40%). No pain relief was reported in 4 patients (16%). Follow-up ranged from 1 to 4 years. Selective denervation for neuromatous knee pain is beneficial in select patients. Patient satisfaction was 84% (21 of 25 patients) after the procedure. No patient was made worse.