ABSTRACT
We sought to determine the early range of motion, complication rates, and 1-year patient-reported
outcomes following Achilles tendon repair, using a modified gift-box suture loop technique.
Sixty consecutive patients (49 males, mean age 36.2 ± 9.9 years) who underwent Achilles
tendon repair with a modified gift-box suture loop technique performed by a single
surgeon were prospectively enrolled. The range of motion at the final follow-up visit
(mean 6 months) and the Achilles tendon rupture score (ATRS) and the complication
rates at 1 year were obtained with 83% follow-up. The predictors of complications
and ATRS were assessed. The mean operative time was 63.1 ± 10.8 minutes, which decreased
throughout the case series (r = 0.46, p < .001). The mean plantarflexion at the final office evaluation was 31.7° ± 6.2°,
dorsiflexion was 11.7° ± 6.3°, and total ankle arc of motion was 43.6° ± 9.7°; longer
length of follow-up was associated with greater dorsiflexion (p = .008) and the total arc of motion (p = .008) but not with plantarflexion (p = .16). The overall rerupture rate was 1.7% (1 patient), wound complication rate
was 1.7% (1 patient), and the overall complication rate was 6.7% (4 patients). No
predictors of complications were identified. Complication rates did not differ between
the first 30 (6.7%) cases and second 30 (6.7%) cases. The mean ATRS at 1 year was
81.8 ± 16.8 points. The rerupture and overall complication rates by 1 year were low.
The range of motion, particularly dorsiflexion, improved through at least 6 months.
Diabetic patients had lower 1-year ATRS than nondiabetic patients using this technique.
Level of Clinical Evidence
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 10, 2019
Footnotes
Financial Disclosure: None reported.
Conflict of Interest: None reported.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 by the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. All rights reserved.
