Acute Superficial Peroneal Nerve Entrapment Mimicking Compartment Syndrome

Case A 48-year-old man presented with foot drop and peroneal nerve paresthesia after a suspected ankle sprain. The patient was taken to the operating room for nerve exploration and anterior and lateral compartment releases. Diagnosis of superficial peroneal nerve (SPN) entrapment was made intraoperatively. Conclusion Motor deficits in the setting of SPN entrapment may indicate overlapping compartment syndrome or pseudoparalysis from pain inhibition and not neural compression. This adds an increased level of complexity to an already challenging diagnosis to make. Accurate diagnosis and immediate surgical interventionwith proper surgical exposure were all critical for the recovery of this patient.