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A surgeon discussing Morton's Neuroma Surgery options with a patient in Florida
Treatment/Treatment Details

Morton's Neuroma Surgery

Morton's neuroma surgery removes the enlarged nerve tissue causing burning pain and numbness in the ball of the foot, providing lasting relief.

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What is Morton's Neuroma Surgery?

Morton's neuroma surgery is performed when conservative treatments fail to relieve the burning pain, numbness, and discomfort caused by a Morton's neuroma. The procedure removes the thickened nerve tissue that has developed between the metatarsal heads.

At Mountain Spine & Orthopedics, our foot specialists carefully evaluate each neuroma to determine if surgery is appropriate. When indicated, we use techniques that effectively remove the neuroma while minimizing complications.

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Morton's Neuroma Surgery

What does Morton's Neuroma Surgery look like?

  1. Surgery is typically performed as an outpatient procedure under local or regional anesthesia
  2. A dorsal (top of foot) or plantar (bottom of foot) approach may be used
  3. The affected interdigital nerve is identified and carefully dissected
  4. The neuroma and a portion of the nerve are excised (neurectomy)
  5. Some surgeons perform nerve decompression as an alternative, releasing the ligament compressing the nerve
  6. The incision is closed and a supportive dressing applied

What Conditions does Morton's Neuroma Surgery Help Ease?

Morton's neuroma surgery is indicated for persistent burning pain in the ball of the foot, neuroma symptoms unresponsive to orthotics and injections, large neuromas confirmed on ultrasound or MRI, numbness and tingling affecting quality of life, and failed multiple corticosteroid injections.

Benefits of Morton's Neuroma Surgery

  • Effective relief of burning forefoot pain
  • Removes the thickened nerve tissue causing the burning forefoot pain
  • Outpatient procedure with rapid recovery
  • Can address multiple neuromas if present
  • Allows return to normal footwear and activities

What does post Morton's Neuroma Surgery recovery look like?

Recovery involves weight-bearing as tolerated in a post-operative shoe for 2-3 weeks. Transition to regular shoes occurs at 3-4 weeks. Numbness between the affected toes is expected after neurectomy. Most patients experience significant pain relief. Full recovery takes 6-8 weeks. Pain relief is most reliable when the symptoms are reproducibly localised to the affected nerve before surgery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Morton's neuroma surgery actually remove?

The most common operation, a neurectomy, removes the thickened segment of the interdigital nerve between the metatarsal heads - usually between the third and fourth toes. An alternative for selected cases is decompression, which releases the ligament pressing on the nerve and leaves the nerve in place.

Will part of my foot be numb afterward?

After a neurectomy, yes - permanent numbness between the two affected toes is the expected trade for removing the painful nerve segment. Most patients consider that a good exchange for relief of the burning, walking-on-a-pebble pain, but it is a real trade-off worth understanding before choosing surgery.

When is surgery considered instead of injections?

After conservative care has had a fair trial: wider toe-box shoes, metatarsal padding or orthotics, and image-guided corticosteroid injections. Surgery is for neuromas that keep interfering with daily life despite those measures - not a first step.

What is the recovery like?

Most patients walk in a stiff-soled surgical shoe immediately or within days, transition to comfortable shoes over 2 to 4 weeks, and return to impact activity around six weeks as swelling settles. It is one of the shorter foot-surgery recoveries.

Can a neuroma come back after surgery?

A cut nerve end can occasionally form a painful stump neuroma, which is the main reason recurrent symptoms appear after an initially successful operation. Careful surgical technique - cutting the nerve well back from the weight-bearing pad - is aimed specifically at reducing that risk.

Schedule a Consultation Today

If conservative treatments haven't relieved your Morton's neuroma symptoms, schedule a surgical consultation to discuss your options.

Locations Offering Evaluation

Our board-certified specialists offer morton's neuroma surgery evaluation and treatment at locations across Florida, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. Schedule a consultation at a clinic near you.

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