Pediatric peroneal mononeuropathy: a clinical and electromyographic study

Seventeen children with pediatric peroneal mononeuropathies evaluated between 1979 and 1991 are reported. Twelve boys and 5 girls, ranging in age from 1.5 months to 17 years, were referred for footdrop in 16 children (94%) or for lower extremity pain in 1 child (6%). Causes included compression in 10 children (59%), trauma in 3 children (18%), entrapment in 3 children (18%), and indeterminate in 1 child (5%). Based on nerve conduction studies and electromyography, the level of the pediatric peroneal mononeuropathic lesion was the common peroneal nerve in 10 children (59%), the deep peroneal nerve in 2 children (12%), and the superficial peroneal nerve in 1 child (5%). In 4 other children (24%), pediatric peroneal mononeuropathy at the knee was not more precisely identified. Surgical exploration in 3 children with progressive pediatric peroneal mononeuropathy was valuable. Improvement occurred in 13 of 17 children (76%).