Surgery of Morton's neuroma: dorsal or plantar approach?

In this prospective study, 52 patients with 55 neuromas were studied in two groups. 26 patients underwent excision of the neuroma through a plantar approach and 26 through a dorsal approach. Average follow-up was 3.1 years after excision. Histology confirmed a neuroma in 51 cases. Results show that in the dorsal group weight-bearing and return to work was faster, and the duration of hospital stay was shorter, than in the plantar group. There were five painful scars in the plantar group and two in the dorsal group.