Peroneal Nerve Entrapment

This pilot asks whether peri-operative N-acetylcysteine (NAC) improves recovery after common outpatient hand/foot-ankle surgery-specifically, does NAC reduce pain and opioid use and enhance function by modulating redox-inflammatory pathways? Primary objectives are to establish feasibility (accrual, adherence, follow-up), estimate NAC vs placebo effects on pain, function, and opioid consumption, and characterize inflammatory signatures that may predict response. Methods: a single-site, double-blind, 1:1 randomized trial (N≈80) comparing NAC 1,200 mg twice daily for 14 days (starting pre-op) vs matching placebo; daily e-diaries for POD0-14; standardized outcomes (PROMIS Pain Interference; QuickDASH or FAAM; PGIC; opioid MME); and small blood draws pre-surgery and at two follow-up visits for cytokine profiling.

The FOOT DROP trial is a prospective, multi-center, randomized controlled trial to assess if decompressive surgery for peroneal nerve entrapment is superior to maximal conservative treatment. Patients with persisting foot drop due to peroneal nerve entrapment will be randomized to either surgery or conservative treatment if foot drop persists 10 +/- 4 weeks after onset of symptoms. Patients will be evaluated through several questionnaires, evolution of muscle strength and several types of gait assessments. Primary endpoint is the difference in distance covered during the six minute walking test between baseline and 9 months after randomization.