Idiopathic Meralgia Paresthetica

Idiopathic meralgia paresthetica was treated surgically in 14 men and 11 women, the latter group were a decade older on average. Treatment was unsatisfactory if symptoms had been present for longer than 18 months. Reexploration of the nerve was not therapeutic in those cases in which the initial decompression provided no relief. The usual course of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve is deep to the lateral end of the inguinal ligament but superficial to the sartorius muscle. However, the nerve may overlie the anterior iliac wing or pass between two slips of the inguinal ligament and may also be compressed if it passes deep to or through the sartorius muscle.