Hauser’s neuroma is the name given to a rare intermetatarsal neuroma in 2nd intermetatarsal space between the distal ends of the 2nd and 3rd metatarsals. It is not clear if this is a separate entity to a Morton’s Neuroma (which is very common in the 4th interspace) or it is just a Morton’s neuroma that occurs in the 4th interspace – different people have different opinions on the use of the terminology here. Both should probably be referred to as nerve compression injury or neuritis rather than as a “neuroma”.
In 1971, Emil DW Hauser, an orthopaedic surgeon in Illinois, described his series of 116 patients with a diagnosis of interdigital neuroma, with 52% of them between the second and third toes, hence the subsequent reference to this being called a ‘Hauser’s neuroma’. (Ref: Hauser ED: Interdigital neuroma of the foot. Surg Gynecol Obstet 133: 265, 1971).
The clinical features and treatment for a Hauser’s neuroma are pretty much the same as what it is for a Morton’s neuroma.
Commentary:
- Debatable if this should exist as a diagnosis and should just be called a Morton’s neuroma to cover a neuroma that can occur in all metatarsal interspaces or if each one should have a separate name. Occasionally you come across references to those with a Hauser’s neuroma in the 2nd interspace being “misdiagnosed” as a Morton’s neuroma when they are probably all pretty much the same thing.
Other Intermetatarsal Neuroma’s:
| Heuter’s neuroma | Iselin’s Neuroma | Mortons Neuroma | Hauser’s neuroma |
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