Achilles tendon rupture and our experience with the Achillon device

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Minimally Invasive Procedures

Background:

• Open repair is the standard for Achilles tendon rupture but results in significant scarring.
• Minimally invasive techniques aim to improve surgical outcomes and reduce complications.
• The Achillon device is one such minimally invasive option for Achilles tendon repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the Achillon device for Achilles tendon repair.
• To compare the results of Achillon device repair with open suture and percutaneous techniques.
• To assess functional outcomes and scar length in patients undergoing Achilles tendon repair.

Main Methods:

• Surgical repair of Achilles tendon ruptures in 28 patients over four years (2004-2008).
• Treatment groups included the Achillon device (14 patients), open suture (12 patients), and percutaneous method (2 patients).
• Follow-up assessments, ranging from 1 to 4 years, included the AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale and scar length measurements.

Main Results:

• The Achillon device group achieved an average AOFAS score of 95.6, compared to 90 for the open method group.
• Minimally invasive techniques resulted in an average scar length of 3.81 cm, significantly shorter than the 9.16 cm for open surgery.
• Functional outcomes were excellent, with results comparable to other studies.

Conclusions:

• The Achillon device provides excellent functional results for Achilles tendon repair.
• Minimally invasive repair with the Achillon device leads to significantly shorter scars.
• This technique represents a viable and effective alternative to open repair for Achilles tendon ruptures.