Peroneal nerve palsy after total knee arthroplasty

Peroneal nerve palsy after TKA, although uncommon, can be a troublesome complication for patients and surgeons. The predisposing factors must be recognized and meticulous surgical techniques and vigilant postoperative care must be undertaken to minimize their effects. Although effective intervention still remains to be determined, most patients do proceed to complete recovery from the nerve palsy but demonstrate good functional capacity. To our knowledge, there are no prospective studies that clearly elucidate the effect of the previously mentioned risk factors on the incidence of peroneal nerve palsy after TKA. More research is needed to tease out these risk factors and explore treatment strategies. A prospective randomized controlled study may help determine the optimal treatment strategy for this important clinical problem. © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.