Evaluation of surgical treatment for ruptured Achilles tendon in 31 athletes

Abstract

Level IV.

Percutaneous repair of the Achilles tendon rupture in athletic population

“…The results of postoperative American Orthopedics Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot clinical outcome score, which was used in 5 studies, 12,20,[24][25][26] were impressive (96.1 Average, 44-100 range). Three studies 20,23,27 used the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS); one of them used AOFAS score too.…”

“…The average active dorsiflexion was slightly limited in 3 studies 11,12,23 and increased in one study. 25 Average plantar flexion decrease was reported too. 11,18 Furthermore, studies that did not report the average ROM mentioned 14 patients with increased and 14 with decreased active dorsiflexion.…”

“…Average reduction was significant in 2 12,27 and non-significant in 4 studies. 18,23,25,28 Additionally, 28 and 14 patients had a significant and non-significant decrease, respectively.…”

What Have We Learned From Taking Care of Elite Athletes?

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The inherent paradox of sports surgery is that its growth is matched only by its desire for self-renewal. Surgeons are constantly striving to reinvent approaches, instrumentation, and implants with the goal of better restoring anatomy, function, and recovery.…”

“…12 Similarly, arthroscopic lateral meniscectomy has been shown to result in 61% of NFL athletes returning to previous levels of competition an average of 8.5 months postoperatively. 1 However, speed-position players such as running backs, receivers, linebackers, and defensive backs were 4 times less likely to return to play than non-speed 4 In a series of 31 athletes, 77% were able to return to their pre-injury level of sports activity an average of 4.3 months after percutaneous repair or 5.9 months after open repair. 4 In our personal experiences treating 19 professional athletes with Achilles tendon tears using a percutaneous technique, we have anecdotally found faster recovery times and fewer wound-related complications compared with a similar group of athletes treated with traditional open repair.…”