Outcomes and Complications Following Endoscopically Assisted Percutaneous Achilles Tendon Repair.

Abstract

To review functional and clinical outcomes as well as complications in patients who underwent endoscopically assisted percutaneous Achilles tendon repair using 4-strand core suture configuration via a 6-portal technique. A retrospective chart review with prospectively collected data was performed in 23 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopically assisted percutaneous Achilles tendon repair between 2008 and 2015. The minimum follow-up to be included in the study was 24 months. The primary outcome was Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Sports subscales; Short Form-36 (SF-36), physical and mental component summaries (PCS and MCS); and visual analog scale (VAS). The secondary outcomes included tourniquet time, recovery time, and complications. Twenty-three patients (18 males and 5 females, all unilateral) with the mean age of 36.7 years were included and 6 patients were repaired using an open technique because they did not meet the inclusion criteria owing to presenting late in the clinic (injury more than 2-3 weeks). The average time to final follow-up was 54.1 months. The average tourniquet time was 41.3 minutes. There was significant improvement of VAS (7.9/10 to 0.1/10), SF-36 (PCS, 32.5-44.7, and MCS, 47.9-51.4), and FAAM (ADL, 26.1.0-83.0, and Sports, 0-61.7). The average time to return to activities of daily living, work, and sports were 8.0 weeks, 8.8 weeks, and 5.7 months, respectively. The postoperative morbidity included superficial wound infection at the portal (1 patient with underlying type 2 diabetes, 4.3%) and there was no rerupture, deep vein thrombosis, sural nerve injury, and painful scar in this study. Endoscopically assisted percutaneous Achilles tendon repair has significant improvement in terms of functional outcomes as measured with the FAAM, SF-36, and VAS. This technique is safe and feasible with minimal postoperative pain and morbidities, early return to activities, and satisfactory functional outcomes. Level IV, case series.