Place of Achilles Tenotomy in the Treatment of Severe Intermittent Claudication

Abstract

SummaryAchilles tenotomy was performed on 66 limbs in 60 patients with severe intermittent claudication and the results were assessed two years later. Early improvement occurred in half of them but decreased to 17% two years postoperatively. Sympathectomy did not influence the result. The postoperative morbidity was 14%, and 21% of limbs were subsequently amputated. The late mortality in the group studied was 8%.

Treatment of intermittent claudication

“…Achilles tenotomy has been used to produce symptomatic relief and approximately 50% of patients in one series had immediate improvement, although this success rate was reduced at 6 months and 1 ear.^,^ All surgical procedures, in patients in poor physical condition have complications and lead to morbidity and mortality; thus in the series reported by Powis et al 7 there was 13% morbidity beyond the immediate post-operative period.…”