Snapping ankles: peroneal tendon subluxation and dislocation

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Role of Peroneal Tenography in Chronic Peroneal Disorders: A Service Evaluation

Purpose The aims were to investigate if there was a diagnostic difference between peroneal tenography and MRI to guide the management of peroneal tendon disorders with the secondary aim to investigate the therapeutic effect of peroneal tenography. Methods A retrospective study was carried out over a 75-month period, including all patients over 18 years who presented with ankle injuries to identify patients with peroneal tendon disorders. Symptomatic patients were investigated using MRI and peroneal tenography. This was also compared with intraoperative findings of peroneal tendons. Fischer's exact test was used to determine the diagnostic difference between peroneal tenography as compared to MRI. The therapeutic effect of peroneal tenography was also calculated. Results The cohort consisted of 27 patients (20 females and 7 males), with the median age being 50 years and the mean BMI being 31.9. The follow-up period after the final management plan was 12 months before discharge from care. Findings from peroneal tenography were more likely to match intraoperative findings than MRI when compared with intraoperative findings (p=0.033). Fifteen out of the 27 patients who underwent peroneal tenography reported adequate pain relief following the procedure. Conclusion Peroneal tenography is more sensitive and specific in determining peroneal tendon disorders as compared to MRI and plays a role as a therapeutic intervention in ankle pain management for these patients.

Incidence of peroneal tendon dislocation with talus fracture

BACKGROUND

Traumatic peroneal tendon dislocation (PTD) is known to occur with pilon and calcaneus fractures, however, literature describing PTD in concurrence with injury to the talus remains limited.

METHODS

This was a retrospective review of adult patients with operatively treated talus fractures treated at a level I academic trauma center between 2007 and 2021. Charts, radiographs, and advanced imaging, when available, were reviewed for patient demographics, injury characteristics, and complications.

RESULTS

126 patients with 128 talus fractures were included. Incidence of PTD after talus fracture was 21.1 % (n = 27). Among isolated talus fractures only (n = 60), incidence of PTD was 16.7 % (n = 10). Peroneal rupture was separately found in 3 instances (2.3 %). PTD was significantly associated with lateral process fractures, making up one-third of total cases of PTD (p = 0.02), with 39 % of lateral process fractures demonstrating PTD. PTD was also associated with presence of fleck sign on injury radiographs (p < 0.00001). Among 27 cases of PTD, 14 (51.9 %) were diagnosed based on advanced imaging only (13 via CT scan and 1 by MRI), 4 (14.8 %) by operative report only, and 9 (33.3 %) based on both imaging and the operative report. Diagnosis was made acutely for 25 (89.3 %) PTDs, whereas 2 (7.4 %) were diagnosed in a delayed fashion. Three PTDs underwent delayed surgical intervention due to delayed diagnosis (n = 1), or missed dislocation by the surgeon although evident on injury scans (n = 2). Fractures with PTD developed higher rates of avascular necrosis (30.4 % versus 12.7 % among fractures without PTD, p = 0.044).

CONCLUSION

PTD with talus fracture is relatively common and was identified in one out of five fractures within the studied cohort. Surgeons and radiologists should be cognizant of this injury, especially in the setting of a lateral process fracture and a positive fleck sign.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Fibular morphology is not associated with incidence of peroneal tendon dislocation

PURPOSE

The association of peroneal tendon dislocation with peroneal bone morphology and postoperative redislocation rates remains unknown. This study compared the fibula morphology in patients with peroneal tendon dislocation with that in a control population.

METHODS

The study enrolled 48 patients who underwent surgery for peroneal tendon dislocation at our institution during between 2018 and 2023. Thirty-five patients with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle were defined as Group D and 35 with magnetic resonance imaging of the ankle for other reasons and with similar background data were selected as the control group (Group C). The posterior tilting angle of the fibula, posterolateral angle and posterolateral edge angle were evaluated at the plafond level. The posterior tilting angle, posterolateral angle and retromalleolar bone shape according to the Rosenberg classification (flat, convex, concave) were evaluated at the midpoint between the plafond and the tip.

RESULTS

At the plafond level, the posterior tilting, posterolateral and posterolateral edge angles were 57.7 ± 11.1°, 123.8 ± 12.3° and 90.8 ± 13.7°, respectively, in Group D and 64.1 ± 15.4°, 121.1 ± 12.3° and 88.7 ± 12.2°, respectively, in Group C, with no significant differences. No significant between-group differences existed in the posterior tilting and posterolateral angles at the midpoint level. Moreover, no significant differences existed in distribution of the bone geometry according to the Rosenberg classification.

CONCLUSION

There were no differences in morphology between patients with peroneal tendon dislocation and controls. This study provides useful information on the indications for primary surgery and whether bony approach is useful for peroneal tendon dislocation.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV.

Comparison of Clinical Efficacy between Arthroscopic and Open Surgery for Ogden Type 1-2 Peroneal Tendon Dislocation

OBJECTIVE

While the incidence of peroneal tendon dislocation (PTD) is relatively low, it is frequently underdiagnosed in clinical practice, and the misdiagnosis or improper treatment of this condition may lead to a decline in patients' quality of life. Currently, the surgical treatment options for PTD mainly include open and arthroscopic surgery. However, in order to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of these two surgical approaches, further comparative research is needed. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the early clinical outcomes of arthroscopic and open surgery in the treatment of Ogden type 1-2 PTD.

METHODS

We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 46 patients diagnosed with PTD who underwent surgery at our institution between January 2017 and January 2023. The patients were divided into two groups: the open surgery group, consisting of 26 cases, and the arthroscopic surgery group, consisting of 20 cases. To compare the effectiveness of the surgical approach, we evaluated several parameters, including the integrity of the superior peroneal retinaculum on MRI images, functional scores, pain interference scores, and ankle eversion muscle strength. These assessments are conducted respectively before the surgery, 1 month after the surgery, 3 months after the surgery, and at the final follow-up for each group of patients (at least 6 months post-surgery). Demographics and intergroup comparisons of the two groups of data were analyzed by t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Intragroup comparisons of the two groups of data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) or the Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by post hoc multiple comparisons.

RESULTS

In the intragroup comparisons, both the arthroscopic surgery and the open surgery group demonstrated significant improvement in functional scores, pain interference scores, muscle strength, and MRI findings at the final follow-up postoperatively (p < 0.01). However, the open surgery group exhibited significant improvements in these outcomes at the final follow-up, while the arthroscopic surgery group showed significant improvement at 3 months postoperatively. In intergroup comparisons, the arthroscopic surgery group outperformed the open surgery group in functional scores, pain interference scores, and muscle strength 3 months after the surgery, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Arthroscopic surgery offers advantages in early clinical outcomes, such as pain relief, function, and muscle strength improvement. However, over time, both approaches provide similar results regarding effectiveness.