Should a nerve have been removed?

[summerdude]

I had surgery performed by a podiatrist to remove the sesamoid bone on the bottom ball area of my left foot. The podiatrist said he removed a nerve during surgery and consequently I have loss of feeling in the ball of my foot going up to my big toe (entire toe) and half of my second toe.

The loss of feeling is partial, and the area of the incision scar is hyper-sensitive.
Bottom line- bad result

I have subsequently changed care to an ortho doctor specializing in the foot. I have since also learned that podiatrists are not trained in surgery to the extent orthos are, and that if you are considering surgery at all, you should go with an ortho.

My ortho said there should not be any anatomical reason why a nerve should have been removed or even been an issue for a skilled surgeon

Can any of you doctors out there validate this? I am considering pursuing medical malpractice.

Thanks

[summerdude]

It was 6/18/08.  He used the term "removed" post-op.  I am taking a nerve-pain drug (small capsule) forgot name, that is also used with diabetic nerve damage.

What is the current science around regenerating nerves-- are there any methods to rejuvinate it?

Also, is there a good diagram showing the nerves juxaposed with the skeletal system for the foot (to address whether or not the nerve was truly in the way)?

[Michael L Gross, MD]

Most likely the nerve damaged is the digital nerve which innervates the lateral aspect of the great toe and the medial aspect of the second toe.  If the surgery was recent, this may just be a neuropraxia, "a bruised nerve", and it may reecover with time.  If the nerve was truly removed, then the reults will be permanent.  It may take several months to find out.