scholarly journals Clinical Outcomes and Cadaveric Biomechanical Analysis of Endoscopic Percutaneous Achilles Tendon Rupture Repair With Absorbable Suture

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 247301142096596
Author(s):  
Daniel Carpenter ◽  
Katherine Dederer ◽  
Paul Weinhold ◽  
Joshua N. Tennant

Background: Percutaneous repair of acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) continues to gain in popularity. The primary aim of the study was to review the outcomes of a patient cohort undergoing a novel technique of endoscopic percutaneous Achilles tendon repair with absorbable suture. A secondary purpose of this study was to evaluate the basic biomechanical properties of the technique. Methods: A cohort of 30 patients who underwent percutaneous ATR repair was retrospectively analyzed with Achilles Tendon Rupture Scores (ATRS), complications, and additional outcome measures. For a biomechanical analysis portion of the study, 12 cadaveric specimens were paired and randomized to either novel percutaneous repair or open Kessler repair with absorbable suture. These specimens were subjected to 2 phases of cyclical testing (100 cycles 10-43 N followed by 200 cycles 10-86 N) and ultimate strength testing. Results: In the clinical portion of the study we report excellent patient reported outcomes (mean ATRS 94.1), high level of return to sport, and high patient satisfaction. One partial re-rupture was reported but with no major wound or neurologic complications. In the biomechanical portion of the study we found no significant difference in tendon gapping between percutaneous and open repairs in phase 1 of testing. In phase 2, increased gapping occurred between percutaneous (17.8 mm [range 10.7-24.1, SD 6.4]) and open repairs (10.8 mm [range 7.6-14.9, SD 2.7, P = .037]). The ultimate load at failure was not statistically different between the 2 repairs. Conclusions: A percutaneous ATR repair technique using endoscopic assistance and absorbable suture demonstrated low complications and good outcomes in a cohort of patients, with high satisfaction, and excellent functional outcomes including high rates of return to sport. Cadaveric biomechanical testing demonstrated excellent survival during testing and minimal increase in gapping compared with open repair technique, representing sufficient strength to withstand forces seen in early rehabilitation. A percutaneous Achilles tendon repair technique with absorbable suture may minimize risks associated with operative repair while still maintaining the benefit of operative repair. Level of Evidence: Level IV, retrospective case series.

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011417S0003
Author(s):  
Katherine Sage ◽  
Gregory Guyton

Category: Ankle, Hindfoot, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: Open Achilles tendon repair is typically performed in the prone position for easy visibility of the tendon, but serious complications may be associated with general anesthesia in this position. Open Achilles tendon repair with supine position has been described and potentially avoids these issues, but it is not known whether this position is safe. We reviewed the complication rate of supine open Achilles tendon repair in a retrospective series of patients, looking specifically at wound healing, infection, re-rupture, and sural nerve injury. Methods: CPT codes for Achilles tendon rupture were used to search the records of one surgeon for the years 2010-2014. The charts were then reviewed. Patients were included if they had an Achilles tendon rupture that was surgically treated with primary repair in the supine position within 15 days of injury. Patients were excluded if further reconstruction or tendon transfer was performed. A paramedian incision was utilized 1 cm medial to the Achilles sheath. Results: A total of 37 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these 37 patients, 31 were men and 6 were women. The average age was 40.0 years (range, 20 to 66 years). Average length of follow-up was 159 days (range 25 to 1589 days). The average BMI was 28 (range 24-36). There were no major complications, including no infections or wound complications. No reruptures and no sural nerve injuries were observed. Conclusion: In 37 patients with early follow-up, supine open Achilles tendon repair had a complication rate equivalent to reported historical data for the prone procedure.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 232596712110084
Author(s):  
Ting Wang ◽  
Yuan Mu ◽  
Yulei Diao ◽  
Wenke Liu ◽  
Yahong Wu ◽  
...  

Background: Although nonoperative management of acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is a reasonable option, surgical repair has attracted attention for young and active patients. More reliable Achilles tendon repair techniques are needed to enhance recovery after ATR in this population. Purpose/Hypothesis: To biomechanically analyze the panda rope bridge technique (PRBT) and compare it with other minimally invasive repair techniques over a simulated, progressive rehabilitation program. It was hypothesized that PRBT would result in better biomechanical properties and enhanced recovery after ATR. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: An Achilles tendon rupture was created 4 cm from the distal tendon insertion site in 40 bovine lower extremities, and specimens were then randomly allocated to 5 Achilles tendon repair techniques: (1) Achillon, (2) modified Achillon, (3) Percutaneous Achilles Repair System (PARS), (4) modified PARS, and (5) PRBT. Each group was subjected to a cyclic loading protocol that was representative of progressive postoperative rehabilitation for ATR (250 cycles at 1 Hz for each loading stage: 20-100 N, 20-200 N, 20-300 N, and 20-400 N). Results: The PRBT technique demonstrated significantly less elongation (1.62 ± 0.25 mm) than the 4 other repair techniques after the first loading stage of 20 to 100 N ( P < .05). All specimens in the 4 other groups developed a large gap (elongation ≥5 mm) at the 20- to 200-N loading stage. When overall biomechanical performance was examined, the PRBT group exhibited higher strength (20-400 N) and more mean loading cycles (984 ± 10) compared with the 4 other groups ( P < .05). Conclusion: In this bovine model, PRBT biomechanically outperformed the other minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair techniques that were tested and could therefore meet the requirements of accelerated rehabilitation. Clinical Relevance: The reduced tendency for premature rerupture and the overall improved biomechanical properties of PRBT suggest that ATR patients treated with PRBT may more readily complete early and aggressive postoperative rehabilitation protocols. In addition, they may have a lower risk of early irreversible suture failure.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 2473011420S0040
Author(s):  
Ryan G. Rogero ◽  
Daniel Corr ◽  
Andrew Fisher ◽  
Joseph T. O’Neil ◽  
Daniel J. Fuchs ◽  
...  

Category: Trauma; Ankle; Hindfoot; Sports Introduction/Purpose: Given the lack of consensus regarding the optimal surgical treatment for acute Achilles tendon ruptures, identifying techniques to maximize functional outcomes is crucial. Augmentation of Achilles tendon repair with the plantaris tendon is an established surgical technique that is thought to improve outcomes by reinforcing the repair site as well as decreasing soft tissue adhesions, though no studies have specifically looked at outcomes of its use. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of acute Achilles tendon repairs managed with and without plantaris tendon augmentation. Methods: A retrospective review of patients undergoing open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures with a single fellowship- trained foot & ankle surgeon from 2010-2016 was performed. Patients <18 years of age, those whose procedures were >21 days from the date of injury, or whose repair was augmented with a flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon transfer or V-Y advancement were excluded. Operative report review determined if repair included plantaris augmentation. Augmentation involved weaving the tendon through the Achilles above and below the rupture site creating a box type biologic augmentation. Patients were contacted at >=2 years postoperatively to complete the Foot & Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM)-Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and -Sports subscales, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, as well as surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the surgical outcome using a 5- point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U, Chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests were performed to compare patient variables and postoperative outcomes. Results: One hundred twenty-eight patients undergoing repair of an acute Achilles tendon rupture were included, including 59 (46.1%) with plantaris tendon augmentation and 69 (53.9%) without. The two patient cohorts did not differ in any preoperative patient variables (p>0.0892). Patients with and without plantaris augmentation did not experience any significant difference in the rate of postoperative complications (p=1.000), including a 0% re-rupture rate in each group. Additionally, at an average follow-up of 57.1 months, the groups did not differ in FAAM-ADL score (p=0.7116), FAAM-Sports score (p=0.4024), the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) as part of the FAAM-Sports subscale (p=0.2572), VAS pain (p=0.1885), or outcome satisfaction (p=0.7317). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that plantaris tendon augmentation does not improve patient functional outcomes following acute Achilles tendon repair, but also is not associated with increased complication rates. Further studies, including either higher-level prospective, randomized clinical studies or biomechanical evaluation of the technique, are indicated to justify this adjunctive procedure. [Table: see text]


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Yiming Zhu ◽  
Aiguo Xie ◽  
Ming Li ◽  
Chihao Zhang ◽  
Tao Ni

Photochemical tissue bonding (PTB), based on photosensitizer rose bengal (RB) and green light, has been regarded as an effective alternative to surgical suture and has been reported to provide benefits for Achilles tendon repair. Limited to the poor penetration of green light, secondary damage still exists while applying PTB for closed Achilles tendon rupture. This study is aimed at exploring the effects of noninvasive photochemical sealing on Achilles tendon rupture by the combination of PTB and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs). The rare-earth UCNPs of NaYF4 : Yb/Er (Y:Yb:Er=78:20:2) were fabricated and then loaded into Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel containing RB to prepare UCNPs@RB/Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel. The properties of UCNPs and UCNP/Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel were characterized by TEM, SEM, DLS, and FTIR analysis. The effects of UCNP and PTB combination were evaluated in an Achilles tendon rupture rat model using histological analysis. Bioluminescence imaging of ROS was performed to explore the potential mechanism. UCNPs had a uniform shape with a diameter of 29.7±2.6 nm. The UCNPs@RB/Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel could upconvert the near-infrared light into green light. The results of histological assessment showed that compared with traditional suture repair, the rats injected with UCNPs@RB/Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel followed by irradiating with near-infrared light and the rats treated with RB solution followed by irradiating with green light had better effects on Achilles tendon repair. The benefits might be related to the generation of ROS in the PTB process. These findings indicated that the combination of PTB and UCNPs@RB/Chitosan/β-GP hydrogel could be used as a noninvasive photochemical sealing for Achilles tendon rupture.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben-Mao Liu ◽  
Hung-Chou Chen ◽  
Chen-Kun Liaw ◽  
Chia-Hsien Chen ◽  
Chih-Hwa Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundAchilles tendon rupture remains one of the most common tendon injuries in adult population. At present, randomized studies have failed to demonstrate the optimal management of Achilles tendon rupture. Wound complications have been significantly minimized since the emergence of percutaneous repairs when compared to traditional open methods. However, some studies suggested a higher incidence of rerupture rates and iatrogenic sural nerve injuries. The goal of this study was to present the clinical outcomes and ultrasonic evaluation of percutaneous Achilles tendon repair.MethodsBetween August 2015 and May 2018, 36 patients with an acute Achilles tendon rupture, treated in percutaneous repair, were studied retrospectively. American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score and the 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain questionnaires were sent to assess the clinical and functional outcomes. Ultrasonic evaluation was recorded using Möller grading system as an objective measurement.ResultsThe 25 male and 11 female (mean age 47.03 years) were clinically followed-up for a minimum of 12 months (average 28.97 months). No wound complications or reruptures occurred. Four(11.1%) patients reported sural nerve hypoesthesia and one of them required additional treatment. The mean AOFAS and VAS score was 92.6 and 1.8 respectively at the 12th postoperative month. Ultrasonic evaluation was performed at the average follow-up of 18.3 months and the mean points were 1.8. All treated tendons were healthily recovered and all patients were able to return to previous work or activities.ConclusionPercutaneous Achilles tendon repair offers good clinical outcome and no apparent increased risk of reruptures. The risk of iatrogenic sural nerve injury, however, remains the most occurred complication. Ultrasound can be used to visualize and examine the repaired tendon, which demonstrated satisfying healing process.


2021 ◽  
pp. 036354652110194
Author(s):  
Jennifer A. Zellers ◽  
Josh R. Baxter ◽  
Karin Grävare Silbernagel

Background: Deficits in sporting performance after Achilles tendon repair may be due to changes in musculotendinous unit structure, including tendon elongation and muscle fascicle shortening. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to discern whether Achilles tendon rupture reduces triceps surae muscle force generation, alters functional ankle range of motion, or both during sports-related tasks. We hypothesized that individuals who have undergone Achilles tendon repair lack the functional ankle range of motion needed to complete sports-related tasks. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: The study included individuals 1 to 3 years after treatment of Achilles tendon rupture with open repair. Participants (n = 11) completed a heel-rise task and 3 jumping tasks. Lower extremity biomechanics were analyzed using motion capture. Between-limb differences were tested using paired t test. Results: Pelvic vertical displacement was reduced during the heel-rise (mean difference, −12.8%; P = .026) but not during the jumping task ( P > .1). In the concentric phase of all tasks, peak ankle plantarflexion angle (range of mean difference, −19.2% to −48.8%; P < .05) and total plantar flexor work (defined as the area under the plantar flexor torque – ankle angle curve) (range of mean difference, −9.5% to −25.7%; P < .05) were lower on the repaired side relative to the uninjured side. No significant differences were seen in peak Achilles tendon load or impulse with any of the tasks. There were no differences in plantar flexor work or Achilles tendon load parameters during eccentric phases. Conclusion: Impaired task performance or increased demands on proximal joints were observed on the repaired side in tasks isolating ankle function. Tasks that did not isolate ankle function appeared to be well recovered, although functional ankle range of motion was reduced with rupture. Reduced plantar flexor muscle-tendon unit work supports previous reports that an elongated tendon and shorter muscle fascicles caused by Achilles tendon rupture constrain functional capacity. Achilles tendon peak load and impulse were not decreased, suggesting that reduced and shifted functional ankle range of motion (favoring dorsiflexion) underlies performance deficits. Clinical Relevance: These findings point to the need to reduce tendon elongation and restore muscle length of the triceps surae after Achilles tendon rupture in order to address musculature that is short but not necessarily weak for improved performance with sports-related activities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-470
Author(s):  
Saad Andaloussi

BACKGROUND: Missed traumatic Achilles tendon ruptures in children are rarely reported in the literature. Various techniques have been described to reconstruct delayed Achilles tendon ruptures for adults, but the long-term consequences in the growing child are unknown. CLINICAL CASE: The article presents a clinical observation of a 8-year-old girl with missed rupture of the Achilles tendon operated 7 weeks after the trauma by end-to-end Kessler-type sutures augmented with the plantaris tendon. At 2-year follow-up, the patient was completely asymptomatic. DISCUSSION: A review of the literature shows that this is the third neglected pediatric case of post-traumatic Achilles tendon rupture. The first case concerns a 10-year-old boy treated successfully six weeks after the traumat by open surgical repair using the Bunnell sutures technique. The second patient was a 7-year-old girl, she was operated 8 weeks after the trauma with a termino-terminal tenorrhaphy using the Bunnell technique augmented with the plantaris tendon. CONCLUSIONS: Using the plantaris tendon to reinforce the Achilles tendon repair offers satisfactory results with minimal morbidity. Prognosis depends on the extent of tendon defect which determines the long-term functional outcome. Any skin wound that sits on the back of the leg requires a systematic and careful physical examination to check the integrity of the Achilles tendon.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik C. Bäcker ◽  
Adrian J. Yenchak ◽  
David P. Trofa ◽  
J. Turner Vosseller

The goal of treatment after Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is to restore appropriate tension to the tendon, so that normal baseline strength and functional soft-tissue length can be achieved. The assessment of plantarflexion strength has shown widespread variability. The purpose of this study is to document variations in strength assessment after the treatment of ATR in the literature. A comprehensive literature review was performed. In total, 2758 articles were found on Achilles tendon rupture and Achilles tendon strength measurement. The full text of articles including strength as a functional outcome measurement in the abstract were assessed. All objective strength measurements performed were reviewed and recorded for comparison. One-hundred articles were included in our study. In 78 articles, a dynamometer was used to measure strength, whereas in 22 articles, an endurance test (n=14) or formal gait assessment (n=8) was applied. When a dynamometer was used, there was wide variability in the various methods used including the incorporation of both isokinetic (n = 65) and isometric (n = 29) exercises utilizing varying degrees of knee flexion and patient testing position. Furthermore, the number of measurements at certain angular velocities varied. This study illustrates that no general consensus exists regarding an optimal method for measuring strength after ATR. The variability creates difficulty and challenges medical professionals’ ability to formulate consistent conclusions when determining functional performance outcomes. A more uniform way of measuring strength after ATR may allow for better comparisons between studies in the literature, potentially leading to a better understanding of strength. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level II


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document