Therapeutic effects of small incisional double-tsuge suture method for repairing acute achilles tendon rupture / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of mini-incisional double-tsuge suture method with 0-0 absorbable polydioxanone-cord (PDS-Ⅱ)in repair of acute achilles tendon rupture.MethodsA total of 34 patients were subjected to acute closed achilles tendon ruptures,including 25 males and 9 females at a mean age of 32 years ( range,20-45 years).Injury causes included sports injuries in 27 patients,falling injuries in six and heavy object impingement injury in one.The time from injury to operation was average 3 days (range,1-6 days).All patients underwent minimally invasive repair with double-tsuge suture method by using PDS-Ⅱ.The ankle joint was fixed with short leg plaster cast at 30° plantar flexion position and the cast was removed six weeks later to take functional exercise.The patients could walk with full weight-bearing 8-10 weeks later and could gradually return to activity 3-4 months later.Results There was one patient with poor incision healing and one patient with reflex sympathetic dystrophy postoperatively.The rest patients had stage Ⅰ incision healing without skin adhesions.No complications such as infection,lower extremity deep venous thrombosis or sural nerve injury occurred postoperatively.All the patients received follow-up of 12-24 months (average 15 months),which showed no complications like tendon rerupture occurred.According to clinical evaluation criterion of Termann,the average score was 92 points (range,76-96 points).The result was excellent in 28 patients,good in five and fair in one,with excellence rate of 97％.ConclusionsSmall incisional double-tsuge suture method achieves low rate of complications and good outcomes for repairing acute achilles tendon rupture and is an ideal tendon surgery approach.