Morton’s Neuroma Surgery

What is the surgery for Morton’s neuroma?

An operation may be considered if simple treatments do not improve the pain in your foot. How much pain you have in your foot will help you to decide if you need an operation.

Operation for Morton’s Neuroma

The operation is normally carried out through a cut on the top of the foot. The lump is taken out along with a short section of the nerve. This helps reduce the risk of the neuroma growing back.

Most people having an operation for Morton’s Neuroma can be treated as a day case.

During the operation you are given local anaesthetic to relieve pain immediately after the surgery.

After the operation

You will:

have a bandage on your foot for one to two weeks
wear a flat blue shoe (figure 2) over the dressings
walk, putting your full weight through your foot
wear the blue shoe at least until the dressings come off
restrict walking to your house and garden for the first week
elevate your foot as much as possible on a footstool, recliner chair or settee for two weeks after the operation

It will take about 3 months for all the swelling to settle and to get back into your normal footwear.

There is some loss of feeling between the affected toes.

Problems after the operation

The operation to remove a Morton’s Neuroma is around 85% successful. Most complications are rare. However, all operations carry a small risk which may leave you worse off.

These include:

Ongoing pain
Return of the Morton’s Neuroma
Infection
Blood clots in the leg or lungs
Ongoing swelling
Clawing of the toes
Loss of all feeling in the third toe. This can occur in patients having removal of Morton’s Neuroma from two areas in the same foot. Some patients may find this feeling unpleasant.
Nerve related pain problems

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