We present the case of a 71-year-old man with right knee osteoarthritis (OA) and a varus deformity who developed a progressive common peroneal nerve palsy that resolved after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). After decades of knee pain, the patient gradually developed a foot drop as well as numbness and paresthesias over the foot dorsum during the course of 1 month. The patient underwent TKA and within 6 weeks postoperatively had complete resolution of the peroneal nerve symptoms.
A progressive common peroneal palsy in advanced varus knee OA may resolve after a properly aligned TKA without nerve decompression.