Peroneal nerve injury surgical treatment results

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the clinical and functional results of nerve grafting and end-to-end peroneal nerve repair between sciatic bifurcation and distal branching.

The study included 26 patients (22 men, 4 women; mean age: 19.9 years; range: 5 to 46 years) who underwent peroneal nerve repair between 1992 and 2009. Open nerve injuries were seen in 21 patients and closed injuries in 5. Surgical repair was performed with sural nerve grafting in 19 patients and end-to-end in 7. Mean nerve graft length was 5.42 (range: 2 to 15) cm with a mean 3.1 (range: 2 to 4) nerve cables used. Mean follow-up was 33 (range: 13 to 96) months. The British Medical Research Council (BMRC) scale was used for the evaluation of the tibialis anterior and peroneal muscles and Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments were used for protective sensation evaluation.

Adequate and full recovery was observed in 19 patients (73%). Mean follow-up time was 39.3 months in patients undergoing nerve grafting and 30.1 months in end-to-end nerve repair. Fifteen of 19 patients with nerve grafting and 4 of 7 patients with end-to-end nerve repair had an adequate or full recovery. Posterior tibial tendon transfer to dorsal foot was applied in 3 of 7 patients without recovery. Protective sensory recovery was determined in 16 of 22 patients.

Good results in both end-to-end repair and in repair with grafting is possible in peroneal nerve repair.