Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-24-2023

Comments

This article is the author's final published version in Foot & Ankle Orthopaedics, Volume 8, Issue 3, 2023, Pg. 1 - 6.

The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.1177/24730114231188102. Copyright © The Author(s) 2023.

Abstract

Background:

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the optimal management of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Operative repair is thought to afford patients a lower risk of rerupture, albeit at a higher overall risk of wound complications.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of 369 consecutive patients undergoing open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures performed by a single foot and ankle fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon was undertaken. Healing was classified as no complications, complications without prolonging treatment, complications requiring prolonged local treatment, and complications requiring operative intervention. A statistical analysis comparing the rates of complications in this cohort to that reported in the literature was conducted.

Results:

There were a total of 33 (8.94%) wound complications. Compared to the rates reported in the literature, no significant difference was detected (P = .3943; CI 6.24-12.33). However, when the complications not requiring additional treatment or prolonged care were excluded, only 9 wound complications (2.44%) were identified—a significantly lower complication rate than that reported in the literature (P < .0001; CI 1.12-4.58). There were only 2 (0.54%) major complications requiring operative intervention, also a significantly lower rate than in the literature (P < .0001; CI 0.067-1.94).

Conclusion:

In the past, wound-healing complications have been cited as a concern when treating patients operatively. We found that when solely looking at healing complications prolonging the patients’ overall recovery, a significantly lower rate of complications existed compared to that reported in the literature.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Language

English

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