Case Series Report: Reconstruction of Chronic Achilles Tendon Rupture With Semitendinosus Autograft Combined With Vulpius Technique

We present five patients with chronic ruptures of the Achilles tendon and a defect larger than 6 cm. The average age of patients was 47 years. The interval between the rupture and treatment was between two and seven months. The size of the defects was between 6 and 12 cm, determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or ultrasound. All patients had an inability to step on the patient's limbs, a positive Thompson's symptom, difficulty walking and calf atrophy. Here, we evaluated the surgical results of semitendinosus autograft combined with Vulpius lengthening of the gastrocnemius in the treatment of chronic Achilles tendon rupture with a defect larger than 6 cm during medium-term follow-up.