Treatment of ruptured Achilles tendon: open or percutaneos procedure

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study was to compare open and percutaneous surgical procedure in treatment of Achilles tendon rupture in terms of efficiency in athletes (professional and amateur). Methods Our work included 48 professional or amateur athletes with rupture of Achilles tendon. The age of athletes was between 25 and 40 years (average 34.83 +/- STDEV 4.65). Twenty-four athletes were operated with open procedure and 24 with percutaneous method. The period in which those procedures were made was between 1998 and 2005. All operated patients were tested one year after the surgical procedure. Results Presentation and comparison between open and percutaneous method were made on isokinetic dynamometer. The group operated with percutaneous method had 20% better results than those who were operated with open procedure. Discussion and conclusion Percutaneous method is technically easier than open method. Time spent in hospital is 14.5 times shorter with percutaneous procedure (percutaneous procedure – range 0.5 to 2 days, average 0.79 +/- STDEV 0.36; open procedure – range 10 to 24 days, average 11.46 +/- STDEV 2.70; p <0.00). Return to sport activities is twice faster than in the group treated with open procedure. We had no postoperative infections or reruptured Achilles tendon in the group treated with percutaneous procedure. In the group treated with open procedure we had one patient with postoperative infection (4.2%). In our opinion the best method in surgical treatment of Achilles tendon rupture is percutaneous method.