Surgical treatment of Achilles tendinitis by decompression of the retrocalcaneal bursa and the superior calcaneal tuberosity.

BACKGROUND: Initial nonoperative treatment of pain at the Achilles tendon, often referred to as "tendinitis," is not always successful. HYPOTHESIS: Surgical treatment is effective for patients with insertional tendinitis unrelieved by nonoperative measures. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: Thirty-five patients (41 feet) who had painful Achilles tendon syndrome unrelieved by 6 months of nonoperative measures were treated surgically. The technique consisted of a single incision along the lateral border of the Achilles tendon. The dissection exposed the retrocalcaneal bursa and fat pad, which were completely excised along with any scarred and thickened paratenon. A partial calcaneal exostectomy of the tubercle was performed. RESULTS: At a minimum follow-up of 20 months (average, 39), the patients' pain scores (rated from 0 to 6) improved from 4.7 (SD, 1.1) preoperatively to 1.5 (SD, 1.3); 90% had complete or significant relief of symptoms, 10% felt improved, and none felt unchanged or worse. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendon pain with resection of the prominent tuberosity, complete debridement of the bursa, excision of thickened, scarred paratenon, and removal of accessible calcific deposits within the tendon is an effective treatment.

Subtalar Joint Arthrography.

The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and the specificity of an optimum technique of posterior talocalcaneal/posterior subtalar (PST) joint arthrography and anesthetic injection in patients with hindfoot pain. Fifty-five PST joints were studied in 55 patients. The posteromedial approach was used in the first 24 patients, followed by an anterolateral approach in 31 patients. The ease of performance, success of confirming PST needle position, and adverse effects were noted. After contrast injection, a combination of 1% lidocaine and 0.5% bupivacaine was injected. Results consisted of 47 arthrographically confirmed PST injections. The posteromedial approach was deemed more difficult; three patients had tendon sheath opacification and four had unwanted anesthesia of the toes. The anterolateral approach was technically easier and no extra-articular structures were visualized or anesthetized. Therefore, PST arthrography with anesthetic injection is optimized with an anterolateral approach.