Rare Case of Simultaneous Bilateral Patellar Tendon Rupture Treated with Gracilis Augmentation
M.P.T. Vanzin, L.H. Longo, B.D. Gulini, C.M. Okuyama, L.E.S. Sato, R.R.F. FontesIntroduction:
Bilateral patellar tendon rupture is extremely rare, accounting for less than 0.5% of tendon injuries, and is usually associated with predisposing factors.
Case Presentation:
A 31-year-old active male with hypothyroidism, asthma, chronic anabolic steroid use, and prior patellar tendinopathy sustained bilateral patellar tendon ruptures during running. He underwent surgical repair with intratendinous sutures and gracilis tendon augmentation in a double-bundle configuration, fixed with anchors and interference screws. A progressive rehabilitation protocol was followed, and functional evaluation demonstrated significant improvement in IKDC and Kujala scores.
Discussion:
This case reinforced the association of classical factors, such as chronic tendinopathy and anabolic steroid use, with the pathogenesis of bilateral rupture in young and active patients. Repair with biological augmentation provided stability, favored tendon healing, and resulted in good functional recovery.
Conclusion:
Early repair with gracilis tendon augmentation combined with supervised rehabilitation proved effective and may be considered in similar cases.