Surgical repair of the ruptured Achilles tendon. Analysis of 40 patients treated by the same surgeon.

Abstract

Forty patients with acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon were treated surgically by the same physician (T.B.Q.) during a period of 1947 to 1971. The average followup was 19 years. Ninety percent of the patients were men (average age 37.5 years) who were engaged in recreational sport activities. The majority denied a physical conditioning program. The acute ruptures were treated by a surgical procedure which consisted of a 15-cm incision on the medial aspect of the tendon with either the plantaris muscle being woven through the Achilles tendon in a clockwise fashion or a pull-out wire, supplemented with silk mattress sutures, being used to repair the ruptured tendon. The wound was closed and the patient's leg was immobilized. The wire was removed at 6 weeks. The rehabilitation plan consisted of ambulation with a heel lift and elastic stocking (the height of the lift was gradually reduced) and toe exercises. The patients began walking downstairs backwards at 3 months and continued exercises until full range of motion was attained. Subjectively, the results were excellent as graded by the patients. Objectively, there were some minor deficits but they did not impede the overall function. On a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent), the clinical results were rated excellent (42%), good (36%), fair (15%), and poor (6%). This review has supported our contention that a positive Thompson test is a reliable indicator for a rupture of the Achilles tendon and that surgical treatment of complete ruptures is a successful mode by the procedure described followed by our rehabilitation program.