Reconstruction of bilateral spontaneous chronic idiopathic Achilles tendon rupture using LARS ligament: Case report

Spontaneous bilateral idiopathic rupture of Achilles tendon is rare and usually results from sudden dorsiflexion of a plantar-flexed foot; the tendon is most often degenerated or diseased, and spontaneous bilateral rupture is not rare in patients suffering from chronic diseases. Management problems relate to reconstruction options and issues with early ambulation and weight bearing. We report a case of idiopathic bilateral Tendo-Achilles (TA) rupture with no obvious disease process, which was initially neglected, and subsequently reconstructed with LARS polyester ligament. The patient could be mobilized early despite bilateral involvement, but developed bilateral wound dehiscence which needed debridement and local flap coverage; aggressive rehabilitation finally leads to an excellent functional outcome. Despite the fact that artificial ligaments allow biointegration and can withstand stresses of early weight bearing, they often lead to wound related problems. Judicious use is advocated and good cases for their use maybe bilateral TA repair in neglected tears with gaps.