Comparison of operative and non-operative treatment of Achilles tendon re-rupture with rupture end distance within 1 cm / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the operative treatment and non-operative treatment of the re-ruptured Achilles tendon with rupture end distance within 1 cm.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 14 cases with Achilles tendon postoperative re-rupture in our hospital from May 2012 to March 2019. All 14 cases showed distance of rupture end less than 1cm during imaging in a passive plantarflexion position. Among the 14 cases with re-rupture, 8 were in the operative treatment group (7 males and 1 female, mean age 36.3±6.4 years, duration from initial rupture to re-rupture 3 to 213 weeks, height 174.9±8.7 cm, weight 75.5±13.9 kg, body mass index 24.5±2.7 kg/m 2, distance of re-ruptured ends 4.9±2.5 mm) and 6 were in the non-operative treatment group (5 males and 1 female, mean age 40.0±9.0 years, duration from initial rupture to re-rupture 4 to 60 weeks, height 173.8±3.5 cm, weight 77.5±7.4 kg, body mass index 25.7±2.5 kg/m 2, distance of re-ruptured ends 5.7±2.1 mm). The Achilles tendon rupture score (ATRS), visual analogue scale (VAS), and foot and ankle ability measure (FAAM) were used to evaluate the result at the patients' last follow-up. Results:All the 14 cases were followed for 8.7 to 92.2 months, with mean follow-up of 39.6 months. Ultrasound or MRI was performed at 6 months postoperatively or at last follow-up to ensure the Achilles tendons' healing. The average ATRS score, VAS score, FAAM-ADL score, and FAAM-Sports score of the operative treatment group were 85.4±13.5, 0 (0, 1.0) , 86.9±8.3, and 76.3±15.4, respectively. While those of the non-operative treatment group were 82.8±5.7, 0.5 (0, 1.3) , 88.1±8.3, and 77.2±15.0, respectively. The average VAS score, FAAM-ADL score, and FAAM-Sports score of the operative treatment group and those of the non-operative treatment group was not significantly different. The ATRS scores of 7 patients of the operative treatment group were between 81 and 96. The satisfaction rate of operative treatment group was 87.5% (7/8). The ATRS scores of 5 patients of the non-operative treatment group were between 81 and 91. The satisfactory rate of non-operative treatment group was 83.3% (5/6). All Achilles tendon re-rupture cases had no complications such as a third time Achilles tendon rupture or wound infection after treatment.Conclusion:For the re-ruptured Achilles tendon with rupture end distance within 1 cm, non-operative treatment achieved similar curative effect compared to operative treatment through extended duration of immobilization and non-weightbearing.