Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity Questions & Answers

Updated: Aug 25, 2023
  • Author: Minoo Hadjari Hollis, MD; Chief Editor: Thomas M DeBerardino, MD, FAAOS, FAOA  more...
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Questions & Answers

Overview

Which nerves are involved in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is interdigital neuritis?

What causes nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is tarsal tunnel syndrome?

What terms are used to differentiate entrapment location in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

Which groups are at increased risk for tarsal tunnel syndrome?

Which groups are at increased risk for interdigital neuritis?

What is the anatomy of the iliohypogastric nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the ilioinguinal nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the genitofemoral nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the femoral nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the saphenous nerve relative in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the obturator nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the posterior tibial nerve (L4-S3) in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the common peroneal nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the superficial peroneal nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the deep peroneal nerve in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the anatomy of the plantar and digital nerves in nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the pathogenesis of iliohypogastric nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of ilioinguinal nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of genitofemoral nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of femoral nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of saphenous nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of obturator nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the pathogenesis of interdigital nerve entrapment?

Presentation

What are the signs and symptoms of iliohypogastric nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of ilioinguinal nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of genitofemoral nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of femoral nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of saphenous nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of obturator nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the signs and symptoms of interdigital neuritis?

Which physical findings suggest iliohypogastric nerve entrapment?

Which criteria are used to diagnose iliohypogastric nerve entrapment and what conditions should be included in the differential diagnoses?

How is ilioinguinal nerve entrapment diagnosed?

How is genitofemoral nerve entrapment diagnosed?

Which physical findings suggest femoral nerve entrapment?

Which physical findings suggest lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment?

How is lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment diagnosed?

What are the physical findings of saphenous nerve entrapment?

How is saphenous nerve entrapment diagnosed?

Which physical findings suggest obturator nerve entrapment?

Which conditions should be included in the differential diagnosis of obturator nerve entrapment?

How is posterior tibial nerve entrapment diagnosed?

Which physical findings suggest posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

How is peroneal nerve entrapment diagnosed?

What should be included in the physical exam of suspected superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

Which physical findings suggest deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

Which physical findings are diagnostic of interdigital neuritis?

Which conditions should be included in the differential diagnoses of interdigital neuritis?

How is interdigital neuritis diagnosed?

DDX

What are the differential diagnoses for Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Workup

What is the role of needle EMG in the diagnosis of nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

What is the role of electrodiagnostic testing in the evaluation of femoral nerve entrapment?

How is electrodiagnostic testing performed in the evaluation of femoral nerve entrapment?

What electrodiagnostic testing is performed in the evaluation of saphenous nerve entrapment?

What electrodiagnostic testing is performed in the evaluation of obturator nerve entrapment?

When are electrodiagnostic tests indicated in the evaluations of posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

Which electrodiagnostic studies are indicated in the evaluation of tarsal tunnel syndrome?

Which electrodiagnostic testing results suggest posterior tibial nerve?

What is the role of electrodiagnostic testing in the evaluation of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of sensory conduction studies in the evaluation of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of motor conduction studies in the workup of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of needle EMG in the evaluation of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of electrodiagnostic testing in the evaluation of superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of electrodiagnostic studies in the evaluation of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

Which electrodiagnostic test findings suggest deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of plantar and digital nerve entrapments?

What is the role of imaging studies in the evaluation of interdigital neuritis?

Treatment

What are the treatment options for iliohypogastric or ilioinguinal nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for genitofemoral nerve entrapment?

What is the treatment for femoral nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for saphenous nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for obturator nerve entrapment?

What are the nonoperative treatment options for compression of the posterior tibial nerve?

What are the treatment options for posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What should be the focus of initial nonoperative treatment of common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the treatment options for interdigital neuritis?

When is surgery indicated for iliohypogastric or ilioinguinal nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for genitofemoral nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for femoral nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for lateral femoral cutaneous nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for saphenous nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for obturator nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What is the postoperative care for posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

What is the treatment for posterior tibial nerve entrapment when entrapment of the medial plantar nerve is suspected?

What is the efficacy of surgery for posterior tibial nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for common peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the efficacy of surgery for common peroneal nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for superficial peroneal nerve entrapment and what is its efficacy?

Which surgical procedure is used to release the superficial peroneal nerve?

When is local fasciotomy indicated for treatment of superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

When is surgery indicated for superficial peroneal nerve entrapment?

What are the surgical options for deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the efficacy of surgical release for the treatment of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

Which surgical procedure is used to treat of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

What is the indication for excision of the nerve for the treatment of deep peroneal nerve entrapment?

Which surgical procedure is used to treat of interdigital neuritis?

What is the efficacy of surgical excision for the treatment of interdigital neuritis?

Medications

What are the goals of drug treatment for nerve entrapment syndromes of the lower extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Analgesics, Topical are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Opioid Analgesics are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Antidepressants, TCAs are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Anticonvulsants, Other are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?

Which medications in the drug class Local Anesthetics are used in the treatment of Nerve Entrapment Syndromes of the Lower Extremity?