Outcome of simple end-to-end repair versus peroneus brevis tendon augmentation in the surgical treatment of calcaneal tendon ruptures

Abstract

Objective: To compare the functional outcomes of patientsundergoing repair of acute calcaneal tendon rupture using simpleend-to-end repair, with those of patients undergoing the samerepair using peroneus brevis tendon augmentation. Methods:Twenty-seven patients with calcaneal tendon rupture, divided intotwo homogeneous groups, were evaluated retrospectively. Thefirst group was formed by patients treated surgically by the endto-end technique with peroneus brevis tendon augmentation, andthe second group by patients treated with end-to-end suture alone.Clinical and functional evaluations were performed comparatively.Results: The patients in the peroneus brevis tendon augmentationgroup had an average score of 98.08 points in the ATRS (AchillesTendon Rupture Score), while patients treated surgically withoutaugmentation obtained an average of 99.20 points. Both groupswere able to achieve high ATRS scores, with no statisticallysignificant difference between the groups studied. There were alsono differences between the evaluated groups in terms of eversionforce, inversion force, dorsiflexion and plantar flexion. Conclusion:The use of peroneus brevis tendon as augmentation to repair acutecalcaneal tendon ruptures operated between the first and fifth dayhas no advantages over the simple end-to-end repair using Krackowsuture technique.