Comparison of Lateral and Central Achilles Tendon-Splitting Approaches in the Treatment of Haglund Deformity

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Foot and Ankle Surgery
• Sports Medicine

Background:

• Haglund syndrome is a common condition causing heel pain.
• Surgical intervention is often considered for persistent symptoms.
• Comparing different surgical approaches is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the complications and functional outcomes of lateral versus central Achilles tendon-splitting approaches for Haglund syndrome treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy of these surgical techniques in improving patient-reported scores.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study included 66 patients with Haglund syndrome undergoing either lateral (Group 1) or central Achilles tendon-splitting (Group 2) surgery.
• Outcomes were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scale, Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), and Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Achilles (VISAA) scores.
• Preoperative and final follow-up scores were compared between groups.

Main Results:

• Both surgical approaches demonstrated statistically significant improvements in AOFAS, VAS, and VISAA scores from pre- to post-operation (P < .001).
• The lateral approach showed a small relative increase in VAS score compared to the central approach (P = .033).
• No significant differences in complication rates were observed between the lateral and central Achilles tendon-splitting groups.

Conclusions:

• Both the lateral and central Achilles tendon-splitting approaches are safe and effective surgical options for Haglund syndrome.
• There are no clinically significant differences in outcomes or complication rates between these two surgical techniques.
• These findings support the use of either approach based on surgeon preference and patient-specific factors.