[Chronic neuralgia after knee surgery].

Background: Chronic knee symptoms after surgery around the knee may be neuropathic. These symptoms are often described after intramedullary osteosynthesis of the lower leg, placement of total knee prosthesis and arthroscopy. This neuropathic pain may be caused by partial damage to the infrapatellar nerve.

Case Description: An 18-year-old patient had chronic neuropathic symptoms after intramedullary osteosynthesis of the lower leg. The diagnosis was made through physical examination and injection of lidocaine 1%. After surgical removal of the infrapatellar nerve, the patient became symptom-free for a long time.

Conclusion: In case of chronic pain around the knee, neuropathic pain resulting from infrapatellar nerve damage should be part of the differential diagnosis. Neurectomy of the patellar nerve is a good treatment if conservative therapy did not lead to improvement of the symptoms.