This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.

Novel surgical technique an effective treatment for chronic Achilles tendon ruptures

Add topic to email alerts

Receive an email when new articles are posted on

Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on .

Subscribe

Added to email alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

You've successfully added to your alerts. You will receive an email when new content is published.

Click Here to Manage Email Alerts

Back to Healio

We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com.

Back to Healio

SAN FRANCISCO — Surgically treating chronic ruptures and re-ruptures of the Achilles tendon using a novel surgical technique involving a free gastrocnemius aponeurosis flap can yield good subjective and objective outcomes in most patients, according to a poster presentation here at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 75th Annual Meeting.

“There was, however, a significant decrease in strength in terms of concentric and eccentric-concentric toe-raises and the toe-raise test for endurance compared with the [patients’] healthy side,” the study authors noted.

Katarina Nilsson-Helander, MD, and colleagues in Sweden evaluated outcomes for their technique, which involves creating a single incision and, after end-to-end suturing, covering the tendon using a free gastrocnemius aponeurosis flap, according to the study.

The researchers found that of 25 patients who played recreational sports before their injury, 13 (52%) returned to their same pre-injury activity level. Also, all patients except for one returned to work within 6 months of surgery, and 16 patients (57%) reported being satisfied with their treatment outcomes.

“In terms of jump performance, no significant differences were found between [patients’] healthy and injured sides,” the study authors reported.

For more information:

• Nilsson-Helander K, Sward L, Silbernagel KG, et al. A new surgical method to treat chronic ruptures and re-ruptures of the Achilles tendon. #P222. Presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 75th Annual Meeting. March 5-9, 2008. San Francisco.