Incidence of saphenous neuralgia in arterial surgery.

The incidence of saphenous neuralgia (SN) as a complication of arterial surgery is not known. In a follow-up study comprising all the elective arterial reconstructions performed in our department between 1977 and 1981, special attention was paid to this complication. Various operations were performed on 158 patients, with a total of 216 groin dissections. SN occurred postoperatively in 17 (11%) of the patients. The incidence in women was 14.7% and in men 6.8%. Calculated on the number of legs operated on, the incidence was 8%. The mean observation time was 18 months. No factor predisposing to SN was found. Only one patient (0.6%) required treatment for SN. In all the other cases the discomfort was slight.