Abstract
We prospectively evaluated the clinical outcome of 41 patients (mean age, 42.4 years) with early weight bearing and functional treatment after surgical repair of acute Achilles tendon rupture according to a prospective intra- and postoperative protocol. All patients underwent open repair using the Triple-Tsuge suture and the cross-stitch epitenon suture. Postoperatively, the patients wore a plantigrade short leg cast for a several days (mean duration, 6.2 days), followed a removal walker brace during by early weight bearing. Ankle range-of-motion exercise continued for several weeks (meanduration, 4.4 weeks) after surgery. The mean sick leave time (length of absence from work)was 4.8 weeks. All of the 26 patients who were involved in sports returned to preinjury sports level by 4.0 months. Forty of the tendons (97.5%) healed without rerupture, and one suffered a partial rerupture at 35 days. Although published results of conservative treatment are undoubtly satisfactory, there remains a considerable risk of rerupture. Consequently, functional postoperative protocol after surgery is preferred to conservative treatment with respect to hospitalization time, and return to work and sports. Admittedly, this requires cooperation of the patients.
