Tarsal tunnel syndrome

Tarsal tunnel syndrome: what is affected?

The affected nerve is the tibial nerve, and the site of compression is located beneath the inner ankle. The diagnosis is almost always easy to establish both clinically and electrophysiologically.

Treatment is similar to that of carpal tunnel syndrome: division of a thick band that covers and compresses the nerve. However, in tarsal tunnel syndrome, the following aspects are particularly important: the wound bed and surrounding area have significantly poorer blood circulation than in the hand, which is why, even in moderate cases, additional surgical measures should be considered to prevent renewed scarring of the nerve. These include enveloping the nerve in a soft-tissue covering (periosteal flap) or performing integument expansion (to avoid tension on the wound closure, the diameter of the surgical area is enlarged by 1–2 cm through the insertion of a split-thickness skin graft). Postoperative physical therapy is especially important.

The health insurance funds naturally cover the cost of the procedure.