Repair of lacerated anterior tibial tendon with acellular tissue graft augmentation.

In the present case report, we describe the surgical repair of a complete laceration of the anterior tibial tendon using acellular human dermal tissue matrix. A 17-year-old, elite league hockey player was injured in the locker room when a teammate still clad in ice skates stepped on his bare left foot. After evaluation at a local emergency department, the patient presented to our office the next day for additional evaluation. It was determined that surgery would be performed using acellular tissue graft augmentation, followed by physical therapy. Within 7 weeks of the injury, the athlete returned to his original level of activity. At 3 years of follow-up, he was playing Division 1 hockey at the university level. We believe that augmentation of the tendon repair with the grafting material enhanced the tendon tensile strength and promoted ingrowth through vascular channels. This, combined with the patient's dedication to physical therapy, led to excellent recovery in less time than anticipated.