Posterior Tibialis Tendon Rupture in a Closed Bimalleolar-Equivalent Ankle Fracture: Case Report

Ankle fractures with an associated posterior tibialis tendon (PTT) rupture are rare injuries and have only been described in a number of case reports. These prior reports include patients that had an open fracture and/or an associated medial malleolar fracture component. In this unique case report, we present a patient that sustained a closed bimalleolar-equivalent ankle fracture/dislocation without medial malleolar involvement which was irreducible due to a PTT rupture and subsequent distal segment interposition in the tibiotalar joint. Identification of acute PTT rupture with associated ankle fracture is important because early repair is associated with significantly better functional outcomes compared with late repair. These injury patterns may easily be missed due to the limitations with physical examination and standard imaging often encountered during initial evaluation of routine ankle fractures. Therefore, physicians should maintain a high level of suspicion in the appropriate clinical setting in order to provide appropriate diagnosis and timely surgical intervention.

Descriptive, Level V: Single case report.