Epidemiology of Achilles Tendon Rupture in South Korea: Claims Data of the National Health Insurance Service from 2009 to 2017

Evaluating barbed sutures: A porcine biomechanical comparison of Z-plasty and turndown flap according to Silfverskiöld

Introduction

It is not possible to add an infinite amount of suture material to tendon plasties and repairs in vivo. Each additional knot can reduce the tensile strength by up to 50 %. Therefore, barbed sutures, as a knotless suturing system, should be investigated as a potential alternative to traditional sutures to minimize knot-related weakening.

Material and methods

Superficial porcine flexors were randomized into five groups. A non-contact measurement was utilized. The Z-plasty and the turndown flap according to Silfverskiöld were used. The Stratafix barbed knotless suture was compared to regular smooth polydioxanone. The biomechanical protocol included a creep test, a cyclic test, and a tear-off test.

Results

The Z-plasty with Stratafix showed significantly improved maximum force compared to the Z-plasty with Polydioxanon (PDS 108.5 ± 22.2N, Stratafix 142.3 ± 23.5N, p < .01). The Z-plasty was significantly superior to the turndown flap in maximum Force (turndownflap with Stratafix 52.4 ± 14.6N, Z-plasty with Stratafix 108.5 ± 22.2N, p < .001).

Conclusion

The Stratafix barbed suture can significantly improve the Z-plasty in maximum tension by up to 32 % when compared to regular PDS. To formulate a more precise indication, biological factors must be further investigated.

Epidemiology of Sports-Related Tendon Ruptures Presenting to Emergency Departments in the United States

BACKGROUND

Participation in recreational and competitive sports can predispose people to musculoskeletal injuries. Chronic overuse with insufficient recovery, overloading, and direct contact can result in acute primary tendon ruptures. There is scarce literature regarding the epidemiology of sports-related acute primary tendon ruptures in the United States (US).

PURPOSE

To identify the incidence rate (IR) of sports-related acute primary tendon ruptures presenting to US emergency departments using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database and describe the trends in the IR from 2001 to 2020.

STUDY DESIGN

Descriptive epidemiology study.

METHODS

The NEISS database was queried using injury case narratives; cases with a clear diagnosis of an acute primary tendon rupture were included in the final analysis. National estimates, estimated IRs (reported as per 1,000,000 person-years at risk), and temporal trends in the annual IR (reported as average annual percent change) of acute primary tendon ruptures were calculated using NEISS sample estimates and US Census Bureau population estimates.

RESULTS

An estimated total of 141,382 patients (95% confidence interval [CI], 107,478-175,286) presented to US emergency departments with a sports-related tendon rupture over the study period (IR, 22.9 person-years at risk [95% CI, 17.4-28.3]). The mean age was 37.7 years (95% CI, 37.0-38.5). Of all cases of a tendon rupture identified from 2001 to 2020, 60.1% were secondary to exercise/sports-related injury mechanisms. An Achilles tendon rupture was the most common injury, representing 55.9% of cases. Basketball was the most common sports-related injury mechanism, accounting for 36.6% of cases. The overall injury rate in male patients was 7.7 times that of female patients (IR ratio, 7.7 [95% CI, 4.4-13.5]; P < .05). The annual incidence of all sports-related tendon ruptures in the US increased significantly from 2001 to 2020 (average annual percent change, 1.9 [95% CI, 1.0-2.8]; P < .01).

CONCLUSION

Recreational/competitive sports participation accounted for a large proportion of acute primary tendon ruptures in the US during the study period.

Prognosis of Nonconcurrent Bilateral Achilles Tendon Rupture Is Worse Than Unilateral Achilles Tendon Rupture: Patient-Reported Outcomes at Minimum 2-Year Follow-up

Backgroud

Approximately 5%-7% of patients who have had Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) suffer from contralateral ATR. However, no studies have evaluated the clinical outcomes of contralateral ATR in patients with an existing ATR. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate patient-reported ankle function and activity levels in patients with nonconcurrent bilateral ATR.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 222 patients with an acute ATR who presented at our 2 institutions between 2005 and 2017. All patients had a minimum 2-year follow-up period, with no other major injuries to the ankle joint. Of these patients, 17 patients had nonconcurrent bilateral ATR. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed by telephone interview, using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), the ankle activity score, and a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Telephonic interviews were conducted by 2 authors, using a prepared script to minimize bias owing to individual interviewers.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 45.1 ± 9.8 years, and 89% were men. Patients with nonconcurrent bilateral ATR had significantly lower values in terms of ATRS, ankle activity score, and satisfaction with current activity level, compared to patients who had unilateral ATR (p < 0.001, p = 0.027, and p = 0.012, respectively).

Conclusions

Patients with nonconcurrent bilateral ATR had poorer ankle function, activity levels, and satisfaction than those with unilateral ATR in terms of patient-reported outcome measures with an intermediate-term result and a 2-year minimum follow-up period. These results emphasize the importance of the impact of contralateral injury on the prognosis of patients with ATR and the need for efforts to prevent contralateral rupture.

Gender Differences in Achilles Tendon Ruptures-A Retrospective Study and a Review of the Literature

Achilles tendon ruptures are common injuries typically sustained during sport with higher incidence in men, though little is understood regarding sex-specific risk factors or outcomes following injury management. This cross-sectional clinical study and systematic review aimed to examine sex-specific Achilles tendon rupture incidence and outcomes following intervention. This study included patients who sustained a rupture between 2011-2021, were ≥18 years old, and who had a minimum follow-up of at least six months, and evaluated age, sex, sport involvement, mechanism of injury, and postoperative complications and revision. Separately, a systematic literature review in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed. A total of 705 male and 158 female patients were included in this retrospective study. 71.1% of men and 52.5% of women sustained a sports-related rupture (p < .001), with sport involvement demonstrating a positive correlation with revision rate (coefficient = 0.09, p = .02). A total of 21 studies with 250,907 patients (87,514 male, 35,792 female) were included in the systematic review. All studies revealed an increased incidence of ATR in men. Functional outcomes were worse in women, and female sex was an independent risk factor for postoperative complications and need for revision surgery. This study demonstrated a higher incidence of sports-related ATR in men than women, likely related to their higher ball sport participation. Although the retrospective analysis did not find a significant difference in complication or revision rates, the systematic review demonstrates poorer functional outcomes, with increased likelihood for postoperative complication and revision surgery in women as compared to men.

Acute Achilles tendon ruptures between 2002-2021: sustained increased incidence, surgical decline and prolonged delay to surgery-a nationwide study of 53 688 ruptures in Sweden

Introduction

Given the lack of consensus on optimal treatment strategies for acute Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), understanding temporal trends, treatment choice and demographic characteristics is important. Previous research suggests increasing incidence with declining surgical treatment. Current trends in Sweden are not known.

Hypothesis/purpose

To assess how incidence rates, treatment trends and time from injury to surgery (TTS) of ATR have changed between 2002 and 2021 in Sweden, with particular attention to changes since 2012.

Study design

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods

We conducted a nationwide register-based study including all inpatients and outpatients ≥18 years of age with an ATR between 2002 and 2021 in Sweden.

Results

53 688 ATRs (78.5% men) were identified during the study period. 15 045 patients (81.5% men) were surgically treated within 30 days. The long-term incidence rate for ATR injury increased by 45%, from 28.8 in 2002 to 41.7 in 2021 per 100 000 person-years (p<0.0001). In the last 5 years of the study, there was a significant, continuing increase in ATR incidence by 21%, from 34.4 in 2017 to 41.7 in 2021 per 100 000 person-years (p<0.0001). The surgical incidence rates decreased from 13.4 to 6.0 per 100 000 person-years (p<0.0001). TTS increased from 0.6 days in 2002 to 5.1 in 2021 (p<0.0001).

Conclusion

The observed increase in incidence rates and decrease in surgical treatment of ATR emphasise the need for evidence-based treatment and rehabilitation protocols for non-operated patients of all ages. A significant increase in time from injury to surgery was observed throughout the study period.

Factors associated with Achilles tendon re-rupture following operative fixation

Aims

Achilles tendon re-rupture (ATRR) poses a significant risk of postoperative complication, even after a successful initial surgical repair. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with Achilles tendon re-rupture following operative fixation.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study analyzed a total of 43,287 patients from national health claims data spanning 2008 to 2018, focusing on patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary Achilles tendon rupture. Short-term ATRR was defined as cases that required revision surgery occurring between six weeks and one year after the initial surgical repair, while omitting cases with simultaneous infection or skin necrosis. Variables such as age, sex, the presence of Achilles tendinopathy, and comorbidities were systematically collected for the analysis. We employed multivariate stepwise logistic regression to identify potential risk factors associated with short-term ATRR.

Results

From 2009 to 2018, the short-term re-rupture rate for Achilles tendon surgeries was 2.14%. Risk factors included male sex, younger age, and the presence of Achilles tendinopathy.

Conclusion

This large-scale, big-data study reaffirmed known risk factors for short-term Achilles tendon re-rupture, specifically identifying male sex and younger age. Moreover, this study discovered that a prior history of Achilles tendinopathy emerges as an independent risk factor for re-rupture, even following initial operative fixation.

Tendon Elongation and Function After Delayed or Standard Loading of Surgically Repaired Achilles Tendon Ruptures: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Achilles tendon ruptures often result in long-term functional deficits despite accelerated (standard) rehabilitation.

PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS

The purpose of this study was to investigate if delayed loading would influence functional, clinical, and structural outcomes of the muscles and tendon 1 year after a surgical repair. It was hypothesized that delaying the loading would reduce the heel-rise height deficit 1 year after Achilles tendon rupture.

STUDY DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 1.

METHODS

In total, 48 patients with a surgically repaired Achilles tendon rupture were randomized to 2 groups: the standard group received the currently accepted rehabilitation, and the delayed group received the same rehabilitation except that initial loading was delayed by 6 weeks. The primary outcome was the heel-rise height difference between the injured and uninjured sides at 1 year. The secondary outcomes were (1) tendon length measured with magnetic resonance imaging, (2) muscle fascicle length and pennation angle of the gastrocnemius medialis muscle, (3) Doppler activity measured with ultrasonography, (4) Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS), and (5) isometric muscle strength.

RESULTS

The mean heel-rise height deficits for the standard and delayed groups were -2.2 cm and -2.1 cm, respectively (P = .719). The soleus part of the tendon was already elongated 1 week after surgery in both groups without a between-group difference (side-to-side difference: standard, 16.3 mm; delayed, 17.5 mm; P = .997) and did not change over 52 weeks. The gastrocnemius tendon length was unchanged at 1 week but elongated over time without a between-group difference (side-to-side difference at 52 weeks: standard, 10.5 mm; delayed, 13.0 mm; P = .899). The delayed group had less Doppler activity at 12 weeks (P = .006) and a better ATRS (standard, 60 points; delayed, 72 points; P = .032) at 52 weeks.

CONCLUSION

Delayed loading was not superior to standard loading in reducing the heel-rise height difference at 1 year. The data indirectly suggested reduced inflammation in the initial months and a better patient-reported outcome at 1 year in the delayed group. The soleus part of the tendon was already markedly elongated (35%) 1 week after surgery, while the length of the gastrocnemius tendon was unchanged at 1 week but was 6% elongated at 1 year. Together, these data indirectly suggest that the delayed group fared better, although this finding needs to be confirmed in future investigations.

REGISTRATION

NCT04263493 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier).

Socioeconomic deprivation status predicts both the incidence and nature of Achilles tendon rupture

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) and its relationship with socioeconomic deprivation status (SEDS). The hypothesis was that ATR occurs more frequently in socioeconomically deprived patients. Secondary aims were to determine variations in circumstances of injury between more and less deprived patients.

METHODS

A 6-year retrospective review of consecutive patients presenting with ATR was undertaken. The health-board population was defined using governmental population data and SEDS was defined using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. The primary outcome was an epidemiological description and comparison of incidence in more and less deprived cohorts. Secondary outcomes included reporting of the relationship between SEDS and patient and injury characteristics with univariate and binary logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

There were 783 patients (567 male; 216 female) with ATR. Mean incidence for adults (≥ 18 years) was 18.75/100,000 per year (range 16.56-23.57) and for all ages was 15.26/100,000 per year (range 13.51 to 19.07). Incidence in the least deprived population quintiles (4th and 5th quintiles; 18.07 per 100,000/year) was higher than that in the most deprived quintiles (1st and 2nd; 11.32/100,000 per year; OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.35-1.89; p < 0.001). When adjusting for confounding factors, least deprived patients were more likely to be > 50 years old (OR 1.97; 95%CI 1.24-3.12; p = 0.004), to sustain ATR playing sports (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.11-2.67; p = 0.02) and in the spring (OR 1.65, 95%CI  1.01-2.70; p = 0.045) and to give a history of preceding tendinitis (OR  4.04, 95%CI 1.49-10.95; p = 0.006). They were less likely to sustain low-energy injuries (OR 0.44, 95%CI 0.23-0.87; p = 0.02) and to be obese (OR 0.25-0.41, 95%CI  0.07-0.90; p ≤ 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of ATR was higher in less socioeconomically deprived populations and the hypothesis was therefore rejected. Significant variations in patient and predisposing factors, mechanisms of injury and seasonality were demonstrated between most and least deprived groups, suggesting that circumstances and nature of ATR may vary with SEDS and these are not a homogenous group of injuries.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Study Level III.

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.

Symptomatic accessory soleus muscle: A cause for exertional compartment syndrome in a young soldier: A case report

BACKGROUND

Accessory soleus muscle (ASM) is a rare congenital variation that is almost asymptomatic, but several papers have recently described symptomatic ASM. The clinical features of this condition are similar to tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) and include pain and numbness around the medial side of the ankle. ASM commonly originates from the fibula or soleus muscle and inserts into the Achilles tendon or calcaneus. Usually, it is identified as posteromedial swelling and definitely diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. In most cases, treatment is observation, but surgical excision can be considered if symptoms are severe.

CASE SUMMARY

A 23-year-old male Korean soldier presented with complaints of bilateral foot and ankle pain and a swelling medial to the Achilles tendon that was more pronounced on the right side. Symptoms first occurred after playing soccer 10 mo before this presentation, worsened after physical exertion, and were relieved by rest. He had no medical history, and no one in his family had the condition. Laboratory results were non-specific. Several tests were performed to exclude common diseases such as tumors or TTS. However, MRI revealed a bulky accessory soleus muscle in both feet, though the patient complained of more severe pain on the right side during physical activity. Accordingly, surgical resection was adopted. At surgery, a large accessory soleus muscle was noted anterior to the Achilles tendon with distinctive insertion from a normal soleus muscle. At 12 mo after surgery, there was no pain, numbness, or swelling of the right foot or ankle, no evidence of recurrence, and the patient could do all sports activities.

CONCLUSION

Accessory soleus muscle should be added to the list of differential diagnosis if a patient has pain, sole numbness or swelling of the posteromedial ankle.

The influence of the COVID pandemic on the epidemiology of Achilles tendon ruptures in east Shropshire, United Kingdom

OBJECTIVES

Management strategies of the COVID pandemic included isolation to prevent transmission. This study aimed to determine if the pandemic of 2020 influenced the epidemiology of Achilles tendon rupture (ATR).

METHODS

The demographics of presentations from the local population to Princess Royal Hospital, Shrewsbury & Telford Hospital NHS Trust hospital, Shropshire, United Kingdom, with an ATR were analysed and compared together with the season, month, and year of the injury.

RESULTS

From 2009 to 2019, there was no significant change in the incidence of ATR over time with a mean (SD) incidence of 13.3 per 100,000. In 2020, there was a decrease in injuries with an incidence of 8.4 per 100,000, with an increase in 2021 to 22.4 per 100,000. In 2021, there was an increase in injuries from March with numbers maintained until October. The most common activity of ATR was team sport (36.2%), followed by the activities of daily living (28.9%), other physical activities (21.0%), and racket sports (13.9%). In 2020, there was the lowest number of injuries sustained in team and racket sports; however, in 2021, they accounted for over half of injuries.

CONCLUSIONS

There were significantly more patients sustaining ATR in 2021, the year after the COVID pandemic and mandatory isolation. This was considered to be related to altered activity and team and racket sports during 2020.

LEVELS OF EVIDENCE

IV case series.

The Influence of Ankle Position on Radiographic Diagnosis of Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture

No previous study has demonstrated the relationship between the ankle position and radiographic diagnosis of acute Achilles tendon rupture. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of ankle position in the presence of diagnostic radiographic signs in acute Achilles tendon rupture. A retrospective review of 154 ankle lateral radiographs of acute Achilles tendon rupture was performed. Ankle position was classified as dorsiflexion, neutral, or plantar flexion by measurement of the tibiotalar angle. Kager's triangle, Toygar's angle, Arner's sign, and thickening of the Achilles tendon were assessed as diagnostic radiographic signs, and their relations to ankle position were analyzed. Interobserver reliabilities of radiographic signs were moderate to substantial (kappa value, range 0.41-0.68). All 4 signs were significantly more visible in ankle plantar flexion than dorsiflexion. The presence of Toygar's angle and positive Arner's sign were significantly increased in ankle plantar flexion compared to neutral, while the presence of Kager's triangle, and thickening of the Achilles tendon did not differ according to ankle position. The diagnostic radiographic signs of acute Achilles tendon rupture were better presented in ankle plantar flexion position than neutral and dorsiflexion positions. Neutral and dorsiflexion ankle positions should be avoided when performing lateral radiographs of patients with suspected acute Achilles tendon rupture.