A case of superficial peroneal nerve injury during ankle arthroscopy

We report a case of superficial peroneal nerve (SPN) injury caused by ankle arthroscopy. A 20-year-old woman underwent arthroscopy on her right ankle because of chronic ankle pain after a sprain. After arthroscopy, the patien t complained of pain on the dorsum of her right foot and felt a radiating p ain from the anterolateral portal to the dorsomedial aspect of her foot. Ei ght months after arthroscopy, we found that a neuroma had developed on the intermediate dorsal cutaneous nerve, and performed neurolysis of the SPN. H er symptoms gradually decreased after surgery, and had disappeared by 45 mo nths. To avoid such an injury of the SPN, the safest placement of the anter olateral portal is necessary and is, according to our previous anatomic stu dy, 2 mm lateral to the peroneus tertius tendon.