Functional outcomes in acute lateral ankle ligament repair using suture tape augmentation

Introduction: Acute lateral ankle injuries are commonly managed conservatively but when repair is done in grade III injuries in the professional athletic population it is repaired using the Broström surgical procedure. Augmentation of this procedure using suture tape has been reported to improve ankle stability and physical patient outcomes. Method: This is a retrospective study of 30 patients with grade II-III anterior talofibular ligament instability, treated with augmented Broström-Gould suture tape procedure. The patients were followed up a minimum of 14.4 months post-surgery using AOFAS and RAND 36-item Short Form scores. We also evaluated ability and time to return to previous level of activity or sport following surgery and rehabilitation. Results: Overall patients showed excellent results, with an average AOFAS score of 92.7. According to the SF-36 scale patients perceived low levels of pain (80.6) and good physical functioning (88.3), with 86.7% of patients in the study being able to return to their previous level of activity or sport on average 10.94 weeks post surgery. Conclusion: Augmented Broström with suture tape showed excellent AOFAS and favourable RAND SF-36 outcomes in the short term with a good indication of functional outcomes in patients’ ability to return to previous levels of activity or sport.