Sural neuropathy due to external pressure

Neuropathy of the Sural Nerve Caused by External Pressure

“…Sural neuropathies may occur from prolonged compression or direct trauma nearly anywhere along the course of the nerve [4]. Sural nerve entrapment has been associated with ganglia or posttraumatic scarring [3].…”

“…Sural nerve entrapment has been associated with ganglia or posttraumatic scarring [3]. Mechanical injury of the sural nerve caused by ex- (2) The hypaesthetic and pain area long the lateral border of the foot extending into the little toe ternal pressure has been attributed to ill-®tting boots, direct blows or other agents (eg, chain) [4]. Although this syndrome is infrequent and is rarely taken into consideration, it can be easily recognised during clinical and electrophysiological examinations [1] if this aetiology is born in mind.…”

“…Moreover, a diagnostic nerve block usually delineates the lesion avoiding timeconsuming and expensive radiological procedures designed to establish the diagnosis of radiculopathies or ankle's disorders. Normally, the prognosis is benign, with an early and complete clinical recovery without surgery [4]. In the rare cases, where the symptoms persist, a neurolysis of the nerve is required.…”

Foot pain due to sural nerve conduction block at the calf

“…Sural nerve mononeuropathy is exceptional; this is why it is the ‘gold standard’ for evaluating sensory axonal loss in distal axonal neuropathies. It is usually related to external compression, trauma, iatrogenic injury– generally from surgery on either the calcaneus, peroneal tendons or the lateral bones of the foot–or compression by Baker cyst or ganglia [1–8]. The sural nerve leaves the tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa 3–5 cm below the knee joint, descends between the two heads of the gastrocnemius and pierces the deep fascia in the middle third of the calf or slightly lower.…”

Isolated sural nerve neuropathies

“…The nerve may be compressed at the calf, the ankle, or the lateral aspect of the foot. It may be damaged at the calf because of the nerve lacerations, compression by tight socks, compression by hard surfaces, by Baker's cysts or by a neuroma of the sural nerve ( Gross et al, 1980 ; Reisin et al, 1994 ; Refaeian et al, 2001 ; Katirji et al, 2002 ) .…”