A study of the communicating branch between the medial and lateral plantar nerves was carried out on the feet of 20 cadavers. The nerve was found to be present in all the feet examined, but in two women it was considerably enlarged bilaterally. It is suggested that this enlarged communicating branch may be a factor responsible for the frequent involvement of the nerve to the third interspace by Morton's neuroma.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BettsL.O.: Morton's metatarsalgia: Neuritis of the fourth digital nerve. Med. J. Aust., 1:514–515, 1940
2.
KlenermanL.MacLellanG.E.GuiloffR.J.ScaddingJ.W.: Morton's metatarsalgia: A retrospective and prospective study. J. Bone Joint Surg., 65:220–221, 1983
3.
MealoR.A.ShanerM.: Variations in digital sensory patterns. A study of the ulnar nerve-median nerve palmar communicating branch. J. Hand Surg., 8:411–414, 1983
4.
MortonT.G.: A peculiar and painful affection of the fourth metatarsophalangeal articulation. J. Med. Sci., 71:37–45, 1876
5.
StopfordJ.S.B.: The variation in distribution of the cutaneous nerves of the hands and digits. J. Anat., 53:14–25, 1918
