A Comparison of Split Peroneus Brevis Tendon and Semitendinosus Allograft Tendon for Lateral Ankle Ligament Reconstruction

Abstract

Lateral ankle instability is a debilitating condition that is often unresponsive to conservative therapy. Many techniques for operative repair have been proposed, most commonly performed as the Broström or modified Broström procedure. In patients with failed primary repair, hereditary collagen disorders, strenuous work activity, obesity, or ligamentous laxity, the Broström repair is less likely to be successful, and anatomic or nonanatomic reconstruction should be considered. The purpose of this study was to compare the functional outcomes and patient satisfaction between anatomic and nonanatomic reconstruction of the lateral ankle ligament complex for lateral ankle instability using a retrospective cohort study. We evaluated 64 ankles in 62 patients who underwent either a split peroneus brevis tendon (n = 36) or semitendinosus allograft tendon reconstruction (n = 28) for lateral ankle instability performed by the same surgeon. Postoperative American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (p = .943) and patient satisfaction (p = .279) found no significant difference between either technique. Our results suggest that both split peroneus brevis and semitendinosus allograft may be viable alternatives for lateral ankle instability when primary ligamentous repair is not attainable.