Management of peroneal tendon subluxation with concominant anterior talofibular ligament tear: A case report and literature review

Introduction and importance: Stability of the peroneal tendon and lateral ankle structure is essential. Appropriate treatment is mandatory to improve the outcome.

Case presentation: A 47-year-old female has had ankle pain for around six months. She has a history of falling while getting downstairs. A physical examination around the lateral ankle revealed slight local swelling and tenderness. Advanced radiography shows peroneal inflammation, subluxation, and an Anterior Talo-Fibular Ligament (ATFL) tear. The patient was diagnosed with peroneal tendinitis with subluxation of the peroneal longus tendon and ATFL tear.

Clinical discussion: We performed an open procedure with debridement, tubularization, and superior retinaculum repair, followed by ATFL repair using a modified Brostorm-Gould technique to stabilize the ankle. The outcomes of the Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were evaluated, and they showed promising results after treatment.

Conclusion: Appropriate treatment should be performed to manage lateral ankle pain. A peroneal subluxation accompanied by an ATFL tear could be treated by an open procedure with debridement, tubularization, and superior retinaculum repair, followed by a modified Brostorm-Gould procedure. All these subsequent procedures are valuable and straightforward techniques for managing ankle stabilization.