Ultrasound-guided infiltration with hyaluronic acid compared with corticosteroid for the treatment of Morton's neuroma.

Aims: A local injection may be used as an early option in the treatment of Morton's neuroma, and can be performed using various medications. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of injections of hyaluronic acid compared with corticosteroid in the treatment of this condition.

Methods: A total of 91 patients were assessed for this trial, of whom 45 were subsequently included and randomized into two groups. One patient was lost to follow-up, leaving 22 patients (24 feet) in each group. The patients in the hyaluronic acid group were treated with three ultrasound-guided injections (one per week) of hyaluronic acid (Osteonil Plus). Those in the corticosteroid group were treated with three ultrasound-guided injections (also one per week) of triamcinolone (Triancil). The patients were evaluated before treatment and at one, three, six, and 12 months after treatment. The primary outcome measure was the visual analogue scale for pain (VAS). Secondary outcome measures included the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, and complications.

Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in VAS and AOFAS scores (p < 0.05) after 12 months. The corticosteroid group had a significantly greater reduction in VAS and increase in AOFAS scores compared with the hyaluronic acid group, at one, three, and six months, but with no significant difference at 12 months. There were no complications in the hyaluronic acid group. There were minor local complications in six patients (six feet) (25.0%) in the corticosteroid group, all with discolouration of the skin at the site of the injection. These minor complications might have been due to the three weekly injections of a relatively high dose of corticosteroid. No patient subsequently underwent excision of the neuroma.

Conclusion: An ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection showed statistically significantly better functional and pain outcomes than an ultrasound-guided injection of hyaluronic acid for the treatment of a Morton's neuroma at many timepoints. Thus, a corticosteroid injection should be regarded as a primary option in the treatment of these patients, and the only indication for an injection of hyaluronic acid might be in patients in whom corticosteroid is contraindicated.