Is it time to rethink the diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma?

There is currently little consensus on the definition and correct diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma. The literature offers multipletreatment options. Presently, a major concern is incorrectly or over-diagnosing of the condition. The objective of this paperis to examine the likelihood of an incorrect diagnosis of patients who receive treatment for Morton’s Neuroma and compareto the rates of diagnosis and treatments demonstrated in the academic literature. A retrospective case cohort review wasconducted examining patient clinical records over a five-year period from a single clinical practice. The data collectedpertained to who and how the diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma was made, the treatments performed and their outcomes. Ourreview included 30 patients (mostly women) presenting on the right foot. A diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma was suggestedby a General Practitioner in majority of the cases, followed by Radiologists, Orthopaedic Surgeons and Vascular Surgeonsrespectively. The chief concern was the frequent inaccurate diagnosis of Morton’s Neuroma in this patient cohort. Theuncertainties surrounding this condition result in delayed diagnosis and treatment, unnecessary expenditure of health carefunds, and deleteriously affects quality of life in patients.