Allograft Reconstruction of Chronic Tibialis Anterior Tendon Ruptures.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Background
Chronic ruptures of the tibialis anterior tendon are often associated with tendon retraction and poor-quality tissue, resulting in large segmental defects that make end-to-end repair impossible. Interpositional allograft reconstruction has previously been described as an operative option in these cases; however, there are no reports of the clinical outcomes of this technique in the literature.Methods
Eleven patients with chronic tibialis anterior tendon ruptures underwent intercalary allograft recon-struction between 2006 and 2013. Patient demographics, injury presentation, and details of surgery were reviewed. Postoperative outcomes at a mean follow-up of 43.8 (range, 6-105) months included the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot score, Short Form-12 (SF-12) physical health score, Lower Extremity Functional Score (LEFS), visual analog scale (VAS) pain rating, dorsiflexion strength, gait analysis, and complications.Results
The average postoperative dorsiflexion strength, as categorized by the Medical Council grading scale, was 4.8 ± 0.45. The average postoperative VAS score was 0.8 ± 1.1. The average LEFS was 66.9 ± 17.2, SF-12 physical health score was 40.1 ± 14.4, and AOFAS score was 84.3 ± 7.7. One complication occurred, consisting of transient neuritic pain in the superficial peroneal nerve distribution. There were no postoperative infections, tendon reruptures, reoperations, or allograft-associated complications.Conclusion
Allograft reconstruction of chronic irreparable tibialis anterior tendon ruptures yielded satisfactory strength, pain, and patient-reported functional outcomes. This technique offers a safe and reliable alternative, without the donor site morbidity associated with tendon transfer or autograft harvest.Level of evidence
Level IV, retrospective case series.Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Huh, J; Boyette, DM; Parekh, SG; Nunley, JA
Published Date
- October 2015
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 36 / 10
Start / End Page
- 1180 - 1189
PubMed ID
- 26041544
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1944-7876
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 1071-1007
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1177/1071100715589006
Language
- eng