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Common peroneal nerve decompression
Author(s) -
Ramanan Mahesh,
Chandran K. Nadana
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
anz journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.426
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 1445-1433
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.2010.05607.x
Subject(s) - medicine , foot drop , surgery , decompression , weakness , common peroneal nerve , peroneus longus , magnetic resonance imaging , superficial peroneal nerve , fibula , retrospective cohort study , radiology , ankle , tibia
Background: Common peroneal neuropathy occurs as a result of compression of the common peroneal nerve (CPN) in the fibro‐osseous tunnel between the fibular neck and the tendinous arch of peroneus longus. High rates of spontaneous recovery have been reported. However, there is a subset of patients who require decompression of the CPN at the fibular neck. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients that underwent decompressive surgery of the CPN. A total of 22 operations performed on 20 patients were analysed. Pre‐operative workup included clinical examination, electrophysiological testing and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) where indicated. Post‐operatively, all patients were examined clinically for neurological recovery and where indicated, electrophysiology was repeated. Results: 74% of patients (14 out of 19) with motor weakness improved, as did 68% with sensory dysfunction. 69% with foot drop improved to have no foot drop, most of these were those that underwent surgery within 12 months of symptom onset (OR 14.7, 95% CI 1.4–133.5). Conclusion: Patients with foot drop fared significantly better if their duration of symptoms prior to surgery was less than 12 months.