Performance of the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score Over Time in a Large National Database: Development of an Instruction Manual for Accurate Use

Transversal calcaneal anchored Achilles tendon reconstruction with free semitendinosus tendon autograft for acute rupture of Achilles tendon: clinical evaluation

Achilles tendon reconstruction is an effective method of repairing Achilles tendon rupture defects. We introduce a new approach for Achilles tendon reconstruction using transversal calcaneal anchored autogenous semitendinosus tendon graft. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical role of this new Achilles tendon reconstruction. We retrospectively enrolled patients who underwent Achilles tendon reconstruction using transversal calcaneal anchored autogenous semitendinosus tendon graft for acute Achilles tendon rupture defects from 2016 to 2021. The clinical and radiological results were assessed at the preoperative and the final postoperative follow-up with Visual Analog Score (VAS) scores, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores and Achilles tendon Total Rupture Scores (ATRS). Besides, at the last postoperative follow-up, the difference in ankle range of motion between the two side of the patients and the incidence of postoperative complications were recorded. Results revealed patients had significantly lower VAS and higher AOFAS and ATRS (P < 0.01). Compared to the healthy ankle, the operative ankle showed significant deficits in ankle range of motion (P < 0.01). Additionally, radiological results showed no noticeable signs of tunnel enlargement in the calcaneus and no patient had re-rupture. Transversal calcaneal anchored Achilles tendon reconstruction with free semitendinosus tendon autograft is an effective treatment option for patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture with large defects and have high postoperative exercise demands.

Musculotendinous ruptures of the achilles tendon had greater heel-rise height index compared with mid-substance rupture with non-operative management: A retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Achilles tendon ruptures (ATRs) may occur at varying locations with ruptures at the mid-substance (MS) of the tendon most common, followed tears at the musculotendinous (MT) junction. There is scant literature about the outcome of MT ATR. This study compared the outcome of patients with a MT ATR with patients following a MS ATR.

METHODS

The diagnostic features and clinical outcome of 37 patients with a MT ATR were compared with a cohort of 19 patients with a MS ATR. Patients in both groups were managed non-operatively and received the same rehabilitation protocol with weight-bearing rehabilitation in protective functional brace.

RESULTS

From February 2009 to August 2023, 556 patients presented with an ATR. Of these, 37 (6.7 ​%) patients were diagnosed with a MT tear. At final follow-up, at 12 months following injury, the MT group reported an Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS) of mean (standard deviation (SD)) of 83.6 (3.5) (95 ​% confidence interval (CI) 81.8, 85.4) and median (inter-quartile range (IQR)) ATRS of 86 points (78-95.5) and the MS group mean (SD) of 80.3 (8.5) (95%CI) 76.1, 80.5) and median (IQR) of 87 points (59-95) (p ​= ​0.673). Functional evaluation, however, revealed statistically significant differences in mean (SD) heel-rise height index MT group 79 ​% (25) (95%CI 65.9, 92.1) and MS group 59 ​% (13) (95%CI 51.9, 67.1) (p ​= ​0.019). In the MT rupture group, there were considerably less complications than the MS rupture group.

CONCLUSIONS

When managed non-operatively, with only a 6 weeks period of brace protection, patients have little limitation although have some residual reduction of single heel-rise at the one-year following MT ATR.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Validity and reliability of the Thai version of the Achilles tendon total rupture score

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), a patient-reported outcome measurement (PROM) designed specifically to assess outcomes in patients with Achilles tendon rupture, into the Thai language and then determine its validity and reliability.

METHODS

The ATRS was translated into the Thai version (Thai-ATRS) according to internationally recognized guidelines. The study included 50 patients with Achilles tendon rupture from 2003 to 2017. The web-based online assessments were conducted two weeks apart. Construction validity was determined by assessing the correlation between the Thai-ATRS and the Thai version of the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (Thai-FAOS). Reliability was determined with Cronbach's alpha and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC).

RESULTS

The validity test displayed a strong correlation between the Thai-ATRS and the Thai-FAOS (r = 0.87). The reliability test showed good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and excellent internal consistency with an ICC of 0.95, which represented excellent test-retest reliability. The MDC was 10.7 at the individual level and 1.5 at the group level.

CONCLUSION

The Thai-ATRS was demonstrated to be valid and reliable for assessing functional outcomes in Thai patients with Achilles tendon rupture.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

II.

Novel classification of Achilles tendon ruptures

In the literature, the treatment of patients with Achilles tendon ruptures begins with diagnosis and diagnosis. Depending on the classification of Achilles tendon rupture, treatment tactics are determined. From our point of view, the existing classification of Achilles tendon ruptures does not sufficiently reflect and systematize the approach to surgical treatment, which served as a more detailed study and addition to the existing classification of Achilles tendon ruptures.

Persistent Deficits after an Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Narrative Review

Persistent muscle weakness, tendon elongation, and incomplete return to preinjury level are frequent sequelae after acute Achilles tendon rupture, and evidence-based knowledge of how to best rehabilitate the injury is largely absent in the literature. The objective of this review is to illuminate and discuss to what extent an Achilles tendon rupture affects muscle, tendon, and function when assessed with the Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS), muscle strength, muscle cross-sectional area, tendon length, and the heel-rise test. The patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) data in the literature suggest that the recovery takes longer than 6 months (ATRS, 70 out of 100), that one-year postinjury, the ATRS only reaches 82, and that this does not appear to noticeably improve thereafter. Loss of muscle mass, strength, and function can in some cases be permanent. Over the first 6 months postinjury, the tendon undergoes elongation, which appears to be negatively correlated to heel-rise function. More recently, there has been some interest in how muscle length and excursion is related to the reduced function. The available literature indicates that further research is highly warranted and that efforts to restore normal tendon length may improve the likelihood of returning to preinjury level after an Achilles tendon rupture.

Nonoperative or Surgical Treatment of Acute Achilles' Tendon Rupture

BACKGROUND

Whether surgical repair of an acute Achilles' tendon rupture by an open-repair or minimally invasive approach is associated with better outcomes than nonsurgical treatment is not clear.

METHODS

We performed a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial that compared nonoperative treatment, open repair, and minimally invasive surgery in adults with acute Achilles' tendon rupture who presented to four trial centers. The primary outcome was the change from baseline in the Achilles' tendon Total Rupture Score (scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status) at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of tendon rerupture.

RESULTS

A total of 554 patients underwent randomization, and 526 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean changes in the Achilles' tendon Total Rupture Score were -17.0 points in the nonoperative group, -16.0 points in the open-repair group, and -14.7 points in the minimally invasive surgery group (P = 0.57). Pairwise comparisons provided no evidence of differences between the groups. The changes from baseline in physical performance and patient-reported physical function were similar in the three groups. The number of tendon reruptures was higher in the nonoperative group (6.2%) than in the open-repair or minimally invasive surgery group (0.6% in each). There were 9 nerve injuries in the minimally invasive surgery group (in 5.2% of the patients) as compared with 5 in the open-repair group (in 2.8%) and 1 in the nonoperative group (in 0.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with Achilles' tendon rupture, surgery (open repair or minimally invasive surgery) was not associated with better outcomes than nonoperative treatment at 12 months. (Funded by the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority and Akershus University Hospital; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01785264.).

Do the heel-rise test and isometric strength improve after Achilles tendon repair using Dresden technique?

BACKGROUND

Achilles' tendon ruptures result in impaired plantar flexion strength and endurance. It is interesting to know the plantar flexion strength, the number of heel-rise repetitions, and the maximal calf circumference following Achilles' tendon ruptures repair.

METHODS

Both the injured and non-injured legs of thirty male patients with Achilles' tendon ruptures treated with the percutaneous Dresden technique were compared with the ankle function of 30 healthy participants. Rehabilitation involved partial weight-bearing for three weeks and then increased to full weight-bearing and ankle exercises.

RESULTS

The injured legs had weaker plantar flexion strength (1.64 ± 0.17 Nm/kg) compared with the non-injured legs (1.91 ± 0.24 Nm/kg; p = 0.002) and the healthy participants' legs (1.93 ± 0.32 Nm/kg; p < 0.001). The non-injured leg had greater ability in doing heel-rise repetitions (39.4 ± 6.1 rep.) compared with the injured legs (37.2 ± 5.7 rep.; p < 0.023) and the healthy participants' legs (31.0 ± 13.0 rep.; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The injured leg had not recovered full isometric strength but had improved heel-rise repetition.

Diabetes and treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids negatively affect treatment outcome at follow-up after acute Achilles tendon rupture

PURPOSE

Studies investigating the influence of comorbidities on patient-reported outcomes after acute Achilles tendon ruptures (ATR) are lacking. In this study, the aim was to investigate the effect of comorbidity and medical treatment on the patient-reported outcome measure Achilles tendon total rupture score (ATRS).

METHODS

The study was performed as a registry study from the Danish Achilles tendon Database (DADB). In the DADB, ATRS was registered at baseline (prior to rupture), at 3-6 month, 1-year and 2-year follow-ups. The outcomes were ATRS at follow-up and the change in ATRS from baseline to follow-up. Variables of interest were diabetes, hypertension, rheumatic disease and treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids. Linear mixed-effects models including all follow-up time points in the same model were used adjusting for sex, age group, treatment (operative or non-operative) and the investigated comorbidities.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 2012 to 2019. Two thousand and four patients with ATR were included. Patients with the investigated comorbidities and treatment with orally administrated corticosteroid scored 10.6-19.1 points lower in mean ATRS at baseline (prior to rupture) compared to patients without the respective disease or treatment. At follow-up, patients with diabetes (mean difference, [95% CI]) (- 6.2, [- 11.7; - 0.8]; P = 0.03) and patients in treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids (- 10.9, [- 16.2; - 5.7]; P < 0.01) had a statistically significantly worse ATRS than patients without the respective disease. However, change in ATRS from baseline to follow-up was not affected. Hypertension and rheumatic disease did not affect ATRS at follow-up but had a positive effect on change in ATRS (4.3, [0.5; 8.1]; P = 0.03) and (12.0, [5.0; 19.9]; P < 0.01), respectively. No other statistically significant differences were found.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that patients with diabetes, hypertension, rheumatic disease and patients in treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids had a lower ATRS at baseline (prior to the rupture) when compared to patients without the respective disease or treatment. Diabetes and treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids did negatively affect ATRS at follow-up, but none of the investigated comorbidities or treatment with orally administrated corticosteroids did negatively affect change in ATRS from baseline to follow-up.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III.

Does size of tendon gap affect patient-reported outcome following Achilles tendon rupture treated with functional rehabilitation?

AIMS

Functional rehabilitation has become an increasingly popular treatment for Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), providing comparably low re-rupture rates to surgery, while avoiding risks of surgical complications. Limited evidence exists on whether gap size should affect patient selection for this treatment option. The aim of this study was to assess if size of gap between ruptured tendon ends affects patient-reported outcome following ATR treated with functional rehabilitation.

METHODS

Analysis of prospectively collected data on all 131 patients diagnosed with ATR at Royal Berkshire Hospital, UK, from August 2016 to January 2019 and managed non-operatively was performed. Diagnosis was confirmed on all patients by dynamic ultrasound scanning and gap size measured with ankle in full plantarflexion. Functional rehabilitation using an established protocol was the preferred treatment. All non-operatively treated patients with completed Achilles Tendon Rupture Scores (ATRS) at a minimum of 12 months following injury were included.

RESULTS

In all, 82 patients with completed ATRS were included in the analysis. Their mean age was 51 years (standard deviation (SD) 14). The mean ATRS was 76 (SD 19) at a mean follow-up of 20 months (SD 11) following injury. Gap inversely affected ATRS with a Pearson's correlation of -0.30 (p = 0.008). Mean ATRS was lower with gaps > 5 mm compared with ≤ 5 mm (73 (SD 21) vs 82 (SD 16); p = 0.031). Mean ATRS was lowest (70 (SD 23)) with gaps > 10 mm, with significant differences in perceived strength and pain. The overall re-rupture rate was two out of 131 (1.5%).

CONCLUSION

Increasing gap size predicts lower patient-reported outcome, as measured by ATRS. Tendon gap > 5 mm may be a useful predictor in physically demanding individuals, and tendon gap > 10 mm for those with low physical demand. Further studies that control for gap size when comparing non-operative and operative treatment are required to assess if these patients may benefit from surgery, particularly when balanced against the surgical risks. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(11):1535-1541.