The management of neuropathic pain from neuromas in the upper limb: surgical techniques and future directions

The international association for the study of pain defines neuropathic pain as pain resulting from a lesion or disease in the central or peripheral nervous system.[1‐3] This categorization is broad and includes a range of etiologies such as trauma, lesions of the central nervous system, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, multiple sclerosis, and herpetic nerve lesions. When the upper limb is involved, it also includes chronic nerve compression, neuritis and complex regional pain syndrome. A significant proportion of pain in the upper limb results from neuroma formation. Currently, our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms is limited for pain resulting from complex regional pain syndrome and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. However, due to the wealth of research pain secondary to peripheral neuromas is reasonably well‐understood.