Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of flexor hallucis longus tendon harvested using a minimally invasive technique in reconstruction of chronic Achilles tendon rupture. Methods Between July 2006 and December 2009, 22 patients (22 feet) with chronic Achilles tendon rupture were treated, including 16 males and 6 females with a median age of 48 years (range, 28-65 years). The disease duration was 27-1 025 days (median, 51 days). Twenty-one patients had hoofl ikemovement’s history and 1 patient had no obvious inducement. The result of Thompson test was positive in 22 cases. The score was 53.04 ± 6.75 according to American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle and hindfoot score system. MRI indicated that the gap of the chronic Achilles tendon rupture was 4.2-8.0 cm. A 3 cm-long incision was made vertically in the plantar aspect of the midfoot and a 1 cm-long transverse incision was made in a plantar flexor crease at the base of the great toe to harvest flexor hallucis longus tendon. The flexor hallucis longus tendon was 10.5-13.5 cm longer from tuber calcanei to the end of the Achilles tendon, and then the tendon was fixed to the tuber calcanei using interface screws or anchor nail after they were woven to form reflexed 3-bundle and sutured. Results Wound healed by first intention in all patients and no early compl ication occurred. Twenty-two patients were followed up 12-42 months (mean, 16.7 months). At 12 months after operation, The AOFAS ankle and hindfoot score was 92.98 ± 5.72, showing significant difference when compared with that before operation (t= —40.903, P=0.000). The results were excellent in 18 cases, good in 2 cases, and fair in 2 cases with an excellent and good rate of 90.9%. No sural nerve injury, posterior tibial nerve injury, plantar painful scar, medial plantar nerve injury, and lateral plantar nerve injury occurred. Conclusion Chronic Achilles tendon rupture reconstruction with flexor hallucis longus tendon harvested using a minimally invasive technique offers a desirable outcome in operative recovery, tendon fixation, and complications.
Objective To study the method and cl inical results of arthroscopic double-bundle posterior cruciate l igament (PCL) reconstruction using achilles tendon allograft. Methods From September 2005 to September 2006, 17 patients with PCL injuries of grade III received arthroscopic double-bundle PCL reconstruction using achilles tendon allograft. There were 12 males and 5 females with an average age of 31.7 years (range, 19-48 years), including 10 cases of left PCL injuries and 7 cases of right PCL injuries. Injury was caused by sports in 6 cases and traffic accident in 11 cases. The average time from injury to surgery was 16 days (range, 7-30 days). The preoperative knee flexion was (121.8 ± 4.1)°. The posterior drawer test was positive and the varus angulation test was negative in all 17 patients. Lysholm score was 50.8 ± 6.1 and Tegner score was 1.3 ± 0.7. The side-to-side difference was (10.5 ± 1.6) mm by KT-1000 arthrometer. Results The hospital ization were (13.6 ± 2.4) days. The operation time was (67.8 ± 9.4) minutes. The time was (5.4 ± 1.2) days when the body temperature was higher than 37.4 ℃ after operation. All incisions healed by first intention. No compl ication occurred. All 17 patients were followed up 25 months on average (range, 18-30 months). The knee flexion was (116.9 ± 3.1)° at the final follow-up, showing no significant difference when compared with that of preoperation (P gt; 0.05). The posterior drawer test and the varus angulation test were negative in all 17 patients. Lysholm score and Tegner score were 91.6 ± 3.2 and 6.0 ± 0.7, respectively, and the side-to-side difference was (2.7 ± 1.7) mm, showing significant differences when compared with those of preoperation (P lt; 0.05).Conclusion Achilles tendon allograft is fit for PCL reconstruction. Arthroscopic double-bundle posterior cruciate l igament reconstruction using achilles tendon allograft can reconstruct both anterolateral and posteromedial bundles of the PCL. The knee joint function can be restored effectively. The short-term outcome has been proved, but the long-term outcome needs more observations
ObjectiveTo evaluate the short-term effectiveness of the short incision and non-end-to-end suturing system in the treatment of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture. MethodsBetween September 2011 and September 2013, 22 patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture were treated with self-designed minimally invasive non-end-to-end suturing system. There were 16 males and 6 females, aged from 22 to 55 years (mean, 32.6 years). The left side was involved in 12 cases and the right side in 10 cases. The causes included sports injury in 16 patients, violent injury in 4 patients, and falling injury in 2 patients. MRI revealed that the distance from the ruptured site to the calcaneal tuberosity ranged from 40 to 70 mm (mean, 35 mm). The duration from injury to surgery ranged from 0.5 to 7 days (mean, 4.2 days). The incision of 4 cm in length was made at the initial point of Achilles tendon, and minimally invasive non-end-to-end suturing system was used to hold the Achilles. The ruptured tendon was sutured with two non-absorbed thread. The limb was fixed with plaster for 6 weeks. ResultsThe incision all healed by first intention without complications of sural nerve damage and infection. All patients were followed up 8-14 months (mean, 11 months). According to the Arner-Lindholm functional score criteria, the results were excellent in 19 cases and good in 3 cases. No Achilles tendon rupture happened again during follow-up. ConclusionThe small incision with non-end-to-end suturing system is an effective operation strategy for treatment of acute Achilles rupture. The patients can do function exercise at early-stage with satisfatory short-term effectiveness.
Objective To evaluate the biomechanical property of tendons repaired with the modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture, and to provide evidence for the clinical application of this suture methods in repairing acute Achilles tendon rupture. Methods Forty frozen flexor digitorum longus tendons from fresh pork hind leg were randomly assigned into 4 groups, 10 specimens each group. In group A, the tendons were dissected transversely at the midpoint to forming the model of tendon with transversely cutting injury. The tendons in groups B, C, and D were dissected transversely at the midpoint, then a 2 cm segment of tendon from the incision in each side was dissected longitudinally with 1 mm internal to forming " frayed tendon” model. All the tendons were sutured with2-0 non-absorbable suture material with different suturing methods: in group A, the tendons with transversely cutting injury model with Krackow suture, and in the groups B, C, and D with Krackow suture, Kessler suture, and the modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture separately. All repaired tendons were fixed onto the biomechanical testing machine. The length, width, and thickness of each side and midpoint of the tendons were recorded, and the cross-sectional area was calculated. The tendons were stretched at a speed of 15 mm/minutes until failure (suture avulsion or rupture). The computer automatically recorded the maximum load, stress, strain, the failure displacement, and the stiffness. These biomechanical parameters of tendons in different groups were analyzed and compared. Results There was no significant difference in the length and cross-sectional area of each tendon among 4 groups (F=0.245, P=0.863; F=0.094, P=0.963). Two tendons in group B, 1 in group C, and 1 in group D were excluded because of tendon slipping; all tendons in group A and 8 tendons in group B failured due to suture rupture, 9 tendons in group C due to suture slipping, and 9 tendons in group D due to 3 sutures slipping from tendon tissue together. The maximum load, the maximum stress, the maximum strain, the failure displacement, and the stiffness of the tendons between groups A and B showed no significant difference (P>0.05). The maximum load, the maximum stress, and the stiffness of the tendons in group D were larger than those in both groups B and C (P<0.05), but no significant difference was found in the maximum strain and the failure displacement between groups B, C, and D (P>0.05). The maximum load, the maximum stress, the failure displacement, and the stiffness of the tendons in group B were larger than those in group C (P<0.05), but the difference of maximum strain between groups B and C was not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion The modified Kessler suture combined with " 8” suture can provide better biomechanical property of the repaired tendon compared with other suture approaches.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical application and effectiveness of V-Y plasty combined with gastrocnemius aponeurosis turndown in the repair of Myerson type Ⅲ chronic Achilles tendon rupture combined with large tendon defect. MethodsBetween February 2008 and July 2019, 25 patients underwent the V-Y plasty combined with gastrocnemius aponeurosis turndown to treat the Myerson type Ⅲ chronic Achilles tendon rupture. There were 21 males and 4 females. The age ranged from 17 to 56 years, with an average of 34.3 years. Achilles tendon rupture was caused by sports injury in all patients, and the duration from Achilles tendon rupture to operation was 31-70 days, with an average of 53.9 days. After resection of fibrous scar tissue, the distance of Achilles tendon defect was 7-12 cm, with an average of 9.04 cm. The clinical results were evaluated by the Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, dorsiflexion and heel raise height before and after operation. Results The donor and recipient wounds of all 25 cases healed by first intention after operation. All patients were followed up 24 months. During the follow-up, 3 patients developed mild wound infection, which was cured after anti-infection treatment. One patient had Achilles tendon exposure, which was cured after local flap transfer and repair. Ultrasound and MRI reexamination at 3-12 months after operation showed no Achilles tendon elongation, adhesion, or re-rupture. At 24 months after operation, the ATRS score, AOFAS score, dorsiflexion and heel raise height of affected side significantly improved when compared with those before operation (P<0.05). However, the dorsiflexion and heel raise height of affected side were still significantly worse than those of the healthy side (P<0.05). ConclusionV-Y plasty combined with gastrocnemius aponeurosis turndown to repair the chronic Achilles tendon rupture can achieve good effectiveness, and the Achilles tendon function significantly improved after repair. However, the procedure is more invasive and has a long duration of intraoperative wound exposure, causing an increased risk of infection, and the aesthetic is not good.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of anterolateral femoral flap in combination with fascia lata grafting in repair of large Achilles tendon and skin defects.MethodsThe clinical data of 18 patients with large Achilles tendon and skin defects repaired with anterolateral femoral flap in combination with fascia lata grafting between January 2018 and January 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 14 males and 4 females; age ranged from 32 to 57 years (mean, 42.1 years). There were 9 cases of postoperative infection of Achilles tendon rupture, 1 case of traffic accident injury, and 8 cases of combined infection of skin and Achilles tendon defects after heel trauma. The length of Achilles tendon defect was 4-8 cm, with an average of 5.6 cm; the range of the skin defect was 14 cm×3 cm to 20 cm×5 cm. Flap survival was observed, and ankle function recovery was evaluated according to McComis functional assessment criteria, and dorsal extension and plantar flexion mobility of the affected limb were measured at last follow-up and compared with those of the healthy side.ResultsEighteen cases were followed up 8-24 months, with an average of 16.7 months. All the flaps survived after operation, the flaps were soft and elastic, and the incisions healed by first intention. At last follow-up, 15 cases were excellent, 2 cases were good, and 1 case was acceptable according to McComis functional evaluation criteria, with an excellent and good rate of 94.4%. The two-point discrimination of the heel posterior region of the affected foot was 4-7 mm, with an average of 5.32 mm. The heel-raise test was negative. The dorsiflexion range of the affected side was (21.55±1.26)°, which was significantly different from that of the healthy side (25.23±1.45)° (t=8.128, P=0.000); the plantar flexion of the affected side was (44.17±1.52)°, which was not significantly different from that of the healthy side (46.13±1.31)° (t=0.444, P=0.660).ConclusionThe application of anterolateral femoral flap in combination with fascia lata grafting for the repair of large Achilles tendon and skin defects can achieve good effectiveness.