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Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - British Volume, Vol 87-B, Issue 9,
1225-1226.
doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.87B9.16122 Copyright © 2005 by British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery Displacement of the common peroneal nerve in posterolateral corner injuries of the kneeN. Bottomley, BSc, MRCS(Eng), Senior House Officer in Orthopaedics1; A. Williams, FRCS(Orth), Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon1; R. Birch, MChir, FRCS, FRCS(Eng), Professor of Orthopaedic Neurological Surgery2; A. Noorani, MRCS, Senior House Officer in Orthopaedics3; A. Lewis, FRCS(Orth), Specialist Registrar in Orthopaedics4; and J. Lavelle, FRCS(Orth), Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon1
1 Department of Orthopaedics Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, UK. Correspondence should be sent to Mr A. Williams; e-mail: andywilliamsortho{at}hotmail.com
We reviewed the relationship between the pattern of damage to the posterolateral corner of the knee and the position of the common peroneal nerve in 54 consecutive patients with posterolateral corner disruption requiring surgery. We found that 16 of the 18 patients with biceps avulsions or avulsion-fracture of the fibular head had a displaced common peroneal nerve. The nerve was pulled anteriorly with the biceps tendon. None of the 34 proximal injuries resulted in an abnormal nerve position. Whenever bone or soft-tissue avulsion from the fibular head is suspected, the surgeon should expect an abnormal position of the common peroneal nerve and appreciate the increased risk of iatrogenic damage.
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