Open Re-rupture of the Achilles Tendon Following Minimally Invasive Repair: A Case Report

Acute Achilles Tendon Ruptures

There is an ever-evolving debate about the best treatment option for Achilles tendon ruptures. There was a relative consensus that operative treatment yielded the best outcomes. Much of this is based on results in athletic populations. Conservative treatment was considered only for the elderly and those with very inactive lifestyles. There has been an evolution, however, with more surgeons utilizing an aggressive functional rehabilitation with conservative management. Surgical intervention still is the treatment of choice for elite-level athletes. The treatment of choice for patient populations other than elite athletes remains an individual choice between patient and physician.

Open Achilles Tendon Rerupture: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

In this report, we describe a rare case of open rerupture of an Achilles tendon following primary surgical repair. The rerupture occurred 12 weeks postoperatively and was associated with a transverse open wound perpendicular to the original surgical incision. This complication was successfully managed utilizing the preexisting transverse wound and a minimally invasive repair technique, minimizing further risk to the soft tissues overlying the tendon. This rare complication has only been described a few times in the literature and is likely associated with adhesions between the tendon repair and the subcutaneous tissues.