Periosteal Repair of the Dorsal Calcaneocuboid Ligament: A Comparative Biomechanical Study

Abstract

Isolated lateral calcaneocuboid joint instability rarely is described. Missed or delayed diagnosis resulting in inadequate treatment may lead to chronic instability, followed by sports inability and handicap in daily life. Besides arthrodesis, anatomic repair augmenting the elongated dorsal calcaneocuboid ligament with a local periosteal flap has recently been described for treatment. In a controlled laboratory study, eight isolated fresh-frozen human cadaver calcaneocuboid specimens were strained in a varus direction until failure of the dorsal calcaneocuboid ligaments. Then the dorsal calcaneocuboid ligaments were reconstructed with free periosteal flaps and tensile testing was repeated. Compared to native dorsal calcaneocuboid ligaments, free single layer periosteal flap reconstructions were found to have inferior load to failure (-52%, p = 0,028), ultimate stress (-44%, p = 0.024), stiffness (-50%, p = 0.063), and strain energy density to failure (-37.5%, p = 0.111). In vitro data demonstrate that isolated single-layer periosteal flap replacement offers inferior stability as compared to native dorsal calcaneocuboid ligaments. To obtain sufficient initial stability, the elongated native ligament should, therefore, be reefed and a single-layer periosteal flap augmentation should be added. This combined procedure can be recommended for stabilization of isolated chronic dorsolateral calcaneocuboid joint instability.