The results of 163 Achilles tendon ruptures treated by a minimally invasive surgical technique and functional aftertreatment

SummaryBackgroundThere is still controversy regarding the optimal surgical technique and post-operative treatment of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. We evaluated a treatment protocol for Achilles tendon ruptures consisting of a minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair combined with early full weight bearing.MethodsA consecutive group of 163 patients was prospectively followed during a 6 year period (1998–2004) in one university hospital and five teaching hospitals. Data were collected during the outpatient department visits at 1, 3, 5, and 7 weeks, 4 months and 12 months after the intervention. Outcome parameters were the incidence of re-rupture, other complications, the functional outcome and the period of sick leave concerning work and sport.ResultsThe patient group consisted of 128 men (79%) and 35 women (21%). The mean operating time was 41 min. In 9 patients (5.5%) a major complication occurred, necessitating 5 surgical re-interventions (2 for re-ruptures, 2 for infections and 1 for tendon necrosis). Fifteen patients (9.2%) suffered from dysfunction of the sural nerve. The median time of returning to work was 28 days (range 1–368) and the median time of returning to sport was 167 days (range 31–489). The majority of patients (150; 92%) were satisfied with the results.ConclusionMinimally invasive Achilles tendon repair in combination with a functional rehabilitation program is a safe and quick procedure with a low rate of re-rupture and a high level of patient satisfaction.