Surgical Treatment of Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Ahn, Jae Hoon; Kim, Kap Jung; Kim, Ha Yong; Choy, Won Sik; Yang, Dae Suk

Abstract

PURPOSE: The authors intended to analyze the operative results of tarsal tunnel syndrome.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-one patients with tarsal tunnel syndrome were followed for more than 1 year after operation. The mean age was 44 years, and the mean follow up period was 2 years and 9 months. Clinically preoperative and postoperative AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score and visual analogue scale for pain were analyzed. Radiologically the cause of disease was investigated, and the size of mass was measured, if possible. The duration of symptom, the presence of space occupying lesion (SOL), the effect of epineurolysis were statistically analyzed to see the relation with the operative results.
RESULTS
Operative release of tarsal tunnel was done in all cases, and epineurolysis was done in 11 cases. The causes of the disease were 10 soft tissue masses, 7 talocalcaneal coalitions, 1 nonunion of medial talar process fracture, and 1 pes planovalgus, and 3 idiopathic cases. The masses were subdivided into 7 ganglions, 2 neurilemmomas, and 1 lipoma. There was 1 case of combined talocalcaneal coalition and ganglion. Clinically AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score was increased from 62.7 points preoperatively to 84.3 points postoperatively. Visual analogue scale was improved from 6.5 preoperatively to 2.2 postoperatively. Two cases were graded as unsatisfactory. One was severe pes planovalgus, and the other was idiopathic case. The duration of symptom and the epineurolysis were not related with the results. However the presence of space occupying lesion was significantly related with the good results.
CONCLUSION
Early operative release of tarsal tunnel appears to be important for the improvement of symptom. However the prognosis is limited in case that there is no SOL.