Necrosis of the Ungual Process of Great Toe as Cause for Long-standing Disabling Pain: A Case Report

We report a case of necrosis of the ungual process of the great toe, which caused longstanding disabling pain in a 34-year-old woman. After a 3-year history of unsuccessful conservative treatment, surgical excision led to complete and persistent relief of the symptoms. Although rare, idiopathic osteonecrosis, even small in size, should be taken into consideration in patients who complain of pain of the foot and lacking conclusive etiologic evidence.