Medical and surgical treatment of meralgia paresthetica

Abstract

Meralgia paresthetica (MP) is a painful mononeuropathy that causes paresthesia, tingling, stinging or a burning sensation in the thigh’s anterolateral part due to the entrapment of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve under the inguinal ligament. The treatment options for MP include conservative or interventional management and must follow an algorithm. The objective is to eliminate the underlying cause if known. In the present study, four patients with MP who were successfully treated with either conservative or interventional management are presented. The advantages and disadvantages of neurolysis (decompression and transposition) and neurectomy procedures for surgical treatments are discussed.