COMPRESSION OF THE PERONEAL NERVE BY A CYST IN A 7-YEAR-OLD CHILD

Compressions of the peroneal nerve are rare since only some sixty such cases have been described since 1921. The authors report a new observ ation of compression extrinsic to the peroneal nerve by a synovial cys t, the source of which was the upper fibulo-tibial joint, in a child o f seven years. As far as we know, this is the youngest age found in th e relevant literature. Because of a swiftly appearing painful swelling , along with complete paralysis of the peroneal nerve, an electromyogr am and a nuclear magnetic resonance were performed, with a view to con firming the diagnosis and to clarifying the topography of the cyst. Th e removal of the latter led to the child being cured with complete rec overy of the peroneal nerve within three months.