Acute Bilateral Achilles Tendon Rupture in a Middle-Aged Patient: A Rare but Debilitating Injury

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 11; p. e48716
• Main Authors: Konstantinou, Efstathios, Koutalos, Antonios, Akrivos, Vasileios, Mylonas, Theodoros, Varitimidis, Sokratis
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 13.11.2023; Cureus
• Subjects: Ankle; Approximation; Chronic illnesses; Middle age; Orthopedics; Patients; Rehabilitation; Sports Medicine; Surgery; Sutures; Tendons; Thrombosis; Trauma; surgical treatment; functional outcome; achilles tendon rupture; bilateral; krackow technique
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48716

Acute Achilles tendon (AT) rupture is an infrequent yet incapacitating injury that demands prompt diagnosis and effective intervention. While unilateral ruptures are more common, bilateral occurrences are exceedingly rare, particularly without predisposing factors. This case report presents an instance of a 52-year-old male patient who suffered a bilateral AT rupture during a soccer game. Physical examination and ultrasound confirmed bilateral AT tears, prompting surgical repair. The surgical procedure involved trimming the degenerated tendon ends, using a modified Krackow repair technique, and finally suturing the paratendon. Postoperatively, a tailored rehabilitation program was employed, encompassing bed-to-chair transfer for six weeks and partial weight-bearing afterward using Achilles braces. At the last follow-up, at nine months, the patient was able to walk bearing full weight with satisfactory clinical and functional outcomes. This report underscores the successful management of a rare case of bilateral acute AT rupture through surgical intervention and a tailored rehabilitation protocol. Bilateral AT ruptures necessitate an individualized approach, taking into account the complexities of simultaneous bilateral injuries.