Unilateral Achilles Tendon Rupture Research Articles

Rupture of the Achilles tendon. Causes and late results after surgical management

In a retrospective study 143 cases of surgically treated Achilles tendon ruptures were evaluated. The patients most commonly were male and between 31 and 40 years old. The majority of ruptures were sport injuries, mostly caused by indirect violence. The histological examination of the tendon very frequently revealed degenerative changes. 55 patients with unilateral Achilles tendon rupture were postoperatively evaluated by clinical examination and sonography. Because of the excellent functional and cosmetical results surgery remains the appropriate treatment of Achilles tendon rupture.

Magnetic resonance imaging after operative repair of Achilles tendon rupture

We performed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study in 16 consecutive patients who had undergone open repair of a unilateral Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) at an average of 32.5 (SD 3.2) (range 29-36) months from the operation. We measured the widest antero-posterior diameter of the tendon, the longest distance between the insertion of the Achilles tendon on the calcaneum and the musculo-tendinous junction of the soleus muscle on the Achilles tendon, the distance between the insertion of the Achilles tendon on the calcaneum and the point of maximal width of the tendon. We also ascertained whether areas of altered signal were present in and around the tendon. The operated tendons were always significantly thicker than the non-operated ones. There was a non-significant trend for the other measurements to be greater in the operated tendons. In five patients, areas of dishomogeneous signal were present in the operated tendon. These areas were less than 25% of the antero-posterior diameter of the tendon, and were clinically silent. These findings probably represent normal features of long-term tendon healing following open repair of an ATR.