Chronic sinus formation using non absorbable braided suture following open repair of Achilles tendon

This study reports a case of a 34 year old man who sustained an Achilles tendon rupture which was surgically repaired using a non-absorbable suture that was complicated by a deep sinus and chronic infection. Despite antibiotics, surgical debridement and skin grafting, his condition did not resolve. Further imaging revealed a sinus leading to the core suture knot that was eccentrically placed but not buried within the healed tendon repair, and the offending suture was subsequently removed.This case highlights the importance of meticulous surgical technique when performing Achilles tendon repair and a high index of suspicion for early imaging when patients present with chronic wound infection post-operatively.The authors urge surgeons to use routinely use an absorbable non-braided suture, which remains buried within the core when performing Achilles tendon repair.     

Wound management with negative pressure wound therapy in postoperative infection after open reconstruction of chronic Achilles tendon rupture

IntroductionDeep infection after reconstruction of chronic Achilles tendon rupture is a major and intractable complication.Case reportWe report a case of late deep infection following a surgery for chronic Achilles tendon rupture, and its simple and successful treatment with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). Six months following the reconstruction of chronic Achilles tendon rupture, a deep infection developed and reconstructed part of the tendon ruptured again. After appropriate debridement.DiscussionThere is no definitive treatment strategy for postoperative infection following open Achilles tendon repair. NPWT was applied to the wound, to promote wound healing and healthy granulation. In our case, NPWT promoted the wound healing and the infected Achilles tendon with tendon loss formed a healthy bridge with granulation tissue spontaneously. The patient resumed her normal activities of daily living, without requiring tendon transfer surgery. NPWT seems to be a simple and successful candidate for this situation.ConclusionNPWT seems to be effective for the treatment of postoperative infection following Achilles tendon repair, even in cases of tendon loss.     

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

In this report, we describe a rare complication of an open re-rupture of the Achilles tendon following a minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair on a healthy 29-year-old active male. The reinjury happened 19 weeks following the primary surgical repair of a spontaneous rupture, performed by minimally invasive technique with the help of a jig using partially absorbable sutures and four locking stitches. The wound of the open re-rupture was transverse, in a perpendicular orientation relative to the longitudinal approach used in the index procedure. Increased scar tissue formation, the absence of an adequate layer of paratenon overlying the primary tendon repair, and foreign-body reaction to the suture may have been involved in the occurrence of this unusual complication in the surgical treatment of Achilles tendon rupture.     

Delayed Onset of Infectious Foreign Body Granuloma for Nonabsorbable Sutures After Open Achilles Tendon Repair: A Case Report

Foreign body granulomas from sutures are more common among non-absorbable sutures compared to absorbable sutures and have been reported as a postoperative complication in a variety of medical fields. However, only a few cases of delayed foreign body reaction have been reported and addressed with orthopedics. We present a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed an infectious suture granuloma that extended to the entire Achilles tendon and was induced by nonabsorbable sutures that were used for open Achilles tendon repair 20 years before. This granuloma was resistant to antibiotic treatment and drainage and required surgical intervention. The tumor was marginally resected, and the continuity of the Achilles tendon was preserved. Histopathological examination detected many suture materials surrounded by xanthochromic necrotic lesions and the lesion was diagnosed as a foreign body granuloma. At 1 year after the operation, the patient did not exhibit exacerbation of infection or recurrence of the tumor, and she became able to walk by herself. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of an infectious delayed foreign body granuloma in autoimmune disorder patient after open Achilles tendon repair. Surgical intervention should be considered, as treatment with conservative therapy such as antibiotics may be difficult.     

Anatomic relationship of the sural nerve when performing Achilles tendon repair using the percutaneous Achilles repair system,a cadaveric study

BackgroundMinimally invasive techniques for Achilles tendon repair are increasing due to reports of similar rerupture rates using open and percutaneous techniques with fewer wound complications and quicker recovery with percutaneous methods. The goal of this study was to investigate quantitatively the relationship and risk of injury to the sural nerve during Achilles tendon repair when using the Percutaneous Achilles Repair System (PARS) (Arthrex®, Naples, FL), by recording the distance between the passed needles and the sural nerve as well identifying any direct violation of the nerve with needle passage or nerve entrapment within the suture after the jig was removed. The hypothesis of the study is that the PARS technique can be performed safely and without significant risk of injury to the sural nerve.MethodsA total of five needles were placed through the PARS jig in each of 10 lower extremity cadaveric specimens using the proximal portion after simulation of a midsubstance Achilles tendon rupture. Careful dissection was performed to measure the distance of the sural nerve in relation to the passed needles. The sutures were then pulled out through the incision as the jig was removed from the proximal portion of the tendon and observation of the suture in relation to the tendon was documented.ResultsOf the 10 cadaveric specimens, none had violation of the sural nerve. Zero of the 50 (0%) needles directly punctured the sural nerve. In addition, upon retraction of the jig, all sutures were noted to reside within the tendon sheath with no entrapment of the sural nerve noted.ConclusionThis study demonstrated the variable course of the sural nerve and identifies the potential risk for sural nerve injury when using the PARS for Achilles tendon repair. However, this study provides additional evidence of safety from an anatomic standpoint that explains the outcomes demonstrated in the clinical trials. With this information the authors believe surgeons should feel comfortable they can replicate those outcomes while minimizing risk of sural nerve injury when the technique is used correctly.     

Aseptic drainage associated with polyglactine sutures used for repair of Achilles tendon ruptures

The aim of surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures is to restore stability of the tendon. Various suture techniques and materials can be used for this purpose. Suture materials may be polyfilament or monofilament, absorbable or nonabsorbable. We presented four patients who developed severe chronic discharges associated with thick polyglactine (Vicryl) used during open repair of acute Achilles tendon ruptures. Surgical removal of suture materials and debridement resulted in complete improvement without any complications. The use of thick suture materials and large knots should be avoided in the repair of Achilles tendon ruptures. Polyfilament and absorbable sutures may pose problems due to their tendency to cause bacterial colonization and tissue rejection.     

A comparison of three methods of skin closure following repair of Achilles tendon rupture

Meticulous skin closure is required to avoid wound problems after Achilles tendon surgery. The purpose of our study was to compare postoperative complication rate, operation time, clinical outcome and patient satisfaction with the wound among two topical skin adhesives (2-octyl cyanoacrylate and n-butyl cyanoacrylate) and conventional nylon skin sutures in Achilles tendon repair surgery. We retrospectively reviewed the records 122 consecutive patients (40 patient in nylon skin suture, 43 patients in 2-octyl cyanoacrylate and 39 patients in n-butyl cyanoacrylate) who underwent surgical repair for acute Achilles tendon rupture between 2012 and 2016. The primary outcome measure was the development of complications in the wound. Secondary outcome measures included the operative time, the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) and patient satisfaction with the wound. There was no difference in complication rate in the wound (p = 0.694) and in ATRS (p = 0.824) among patients in the three groups. Mean operative time in nylon skin suture group was significantly longer than in the 2-octyl cyanoacrylate group and n-butyl cyanoacrylate group (p = 0.018 and p = 0.002, respectively). Patient satisfaction in the 2-octyl cyanoacrylate and n-butyl cyanoacrylate groups was significantly higher than in the nylon skin suture group (p = 0.015 and 0.018, respectively). The use of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate and n-butyl cyanoacrylate topical skin adhesives for skin closure following repair of Achilles tendon rupture has equivalent effectiveness and safety compared to conventional nylon skin suture, but higher patient satisfaction. Despite its higher cost, these topical skin adhesives are viable alternatives for wound closure in patients who regard cosmetic outcomes as important.     

Endoscopic-assisted repair of acute Achilles tendon rupture with Krackow suture: An anatomic study

PurposeTo study the feasibility of applying Krackow locking stitches in the endoscopic-assisted repair of acute Achilles tendon rupture and the possible complications encountered.Type of studyAnatomic study.MethodsTwelve Achilles tendons in six cadavers were cut at 6 cm from its insertion and endoscopic-assisted repair of Achilles tendon was performed. These legs were then cut open in midline to study (i) the locking stitches formed and (ii) the relation of the sural nerve to the locking stitches.ResultWith endoscopic-assisted technique, Krackow-type locking stitches can be formed in eight legs. In four legs, the stitches fell into the ruptured gap and lie deep to the tendon. The tendon rupture end was grasped by the suture rather than forming a Krackow-type locking stitch when the suture was tightened. There was no sural nerve laceration noted. However, in two legs, the sural nerves were found trapped in the sutures at around the proximal portal.ConclusionsKrackow locking stitches can be formed by the minimally invasive technique. However, there are risks of stitches falling into the ruptured gap and lie deep to the tendon and risk of sural nerve entrapment at the proximal medial portal. The original technique is not suitable for clinical application. Modification of the technique by grasping the tendon end with Allis tissue forceps before passing the suture may prevent the suture from falling into the ruptured tendon gap.     

Diagnosis and treatment of acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon. Current concepts review

Subcutaneous rupture of the Achilles tendon seems to have become more common in recent years. This results from a combination of more awareness in the medical field and greater participation in physical activities by the general population. The causes of Achilles tendon rupture are multifactorial and still unclear. The diagnosis can be made based on physical examination; special diagnostic studies are rarely necessary. The literature on ruptures of the Achilles tendon and associated treatment has expanded over the past decade. The lack of a universal, consistent protocol for subjective and objective evaluation following treatment of Achilles tendon rupture has prevented any comparison of results. There is still controversy concerning the best treatment. From a literature review, it appears that a satisfactory outcome may be achieved with either nonoperative or operative treatment but surgical repair appears to provide better functional capacity. Lower rerupture rates and slightly improved strength and functional ability may be expected with surgical treatment; however, the rate of minor complications is higher than with nonoperative treatment. Reports in the literature indicate that in active, young, very demanding individuals, surgical repair should be considered, with nonsurgical treatment reserved for elderly or sedentary patients. There is no single, uniformly accepted surgical technique for Achilles tendon repair. Most acute ruptures have been treated successfully with simple end-to-end suture, although various augmentation procedures have been combined with simple suture with satisfactory outcomes. To minimize the complications typically associated with open surgery, percutaneous techniques to repair the ruptured Achilles tendon have been advocated, and the results are reported to be promising, although not without failures and complications. Several recent studies have reported functional benefits of early postoperative tendon mobilization in well-motivated patients, since treatment results are determined not only by the method of repair but also, and perhaps more importantly, by the early postoperative functional rehabilitation.     

Achilles tendon recurrent rupture following surgical repair: Report on two cases

BackgroundRerupture is a main complication in Achilles tendon rupture surgery, with an incidence of 2–8%. Although wound break-down and rerupture are well known complications, spontaneous open rerupture has not been previously reported to the authors’ knowledge.MethodsWe report on two cases of open rerupture of Achilles tendon following augmented repair, through a transverse wound perpendicular to the primary incision line. Reruptures occurred 80 and 54 days after primary repair.Results and conclusionsAfter surgical repair long term follow-up results are good in both cases. This complication could be related to subtotal closure of the paratenon due to the bulk of the augmented repair and to an inadequate and a too extended period of postoperative ankle immobilization.     

A New Model for Repair of the Achilles Tendon in the Rat

ABSTRACT

The Sprague-Dawley rat is an excellent model for studies of Achilles tendon repair. Most researchers use a modification of the Kessler technique for suture repair of the Achilles tendon in rats. While this technique provides adequate strength, early mobilization is not recommended. Prior to healing, the load will be borne completely by the suture repair, subjecting it to rupture. To prevent this complication, investigators employing the Kessler repair often immobilize the operative extremity with a cast or splint. This has also been shown to be detrimental to the peak load borne by the tendons prior to rupture. A double-loop locking technique of suture repair for rat Achilles tendons is favored over the modified Kessler technique. As force is applied across the repair, the suture pulls on the tendon, sharing the load. This allows for early mobilization of repaired tendons, with minimal risk of rupture. Additionally, no immobilization is required for the operative extremity. One hundred repairs have been performed using this double-loop locking technique. All animals have been able to mobilize with minimal limp immediately after recovering from anesthesia, and there have been no ruptures. No other complications have occurred (hematoma, seroma, infection, dehiscence). This technique of tendon repair is ideal for use in studies of tendon repair in the rat, since it is easy to perform and eliminates the need for immobilization of the operative leg.     

Endoscopic Surgery for Delayed Wound Healing After Achilles Tendon Suture Repair: A Report of Three Cases

BackgroundDelayed wound healing is a potention complication after Achilles tendon suture repair and occurs for various reasons. The conventional treatment for delayed wound healing is open surgery, but patients face long recovery times and postoperative care is difficult.Case PresentationThis report presents three patients who were seen at our institute from April 2008 to October 2017 due to long‐term non‐healing wounds after surgery. All three patients had undergone surgery at least 2 months previously. We performed endoscopic surgery on these patients. After the operation, patients received less antibiotics and simpler care than would be required for conventional open surgery. There is no need to keep the wound open after the operation or perform wound cleaning for multiple times at the same time, which can reduce healing time. At the last follow up, all postoperative scores among the patients were significantly improved compared to before surgery. The Achilles tendon total rupture scores were excellent and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society scores were satisfactory, indicating improvements in Achilles tendon function and movement in patients after surgery.ConclusionOur case reports demonstrate that arthroscopic treatment for delayed wound healing after Achilles tendon suture repair is satisfactory and reliable; frequent opening of the wound for cleaning is not required after the operation, thus reducing the healing time.     

Treatment of acute achilles tendon rupture with the panda rope bridge technique

IntroductionAlthough nonsurgical methods and many surgical techniques have been developed for repairing a ruptured Achilles tendon, there is no consensus on its best treatment. In this article, a novel minimally invasive technique called the Panda Rope Bridge Technique (PRBT) is described.MethodsPatient with acute Achilles tendon rupture was operated on in the prone position. The PRBT begin with making the proximal bridge anchor (Krackow sutures in the myotendinous junction), the distal bridge anchor (two suture anchors in the calcaneus bone) and the ropes (threads of the suture anchors) stretched between the anchor sites. Then a small incision was made to debride and reattach the stumps of ruptured tendon. After the surgery, no cast or splint fixation was applied. All patients performed enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), which included immediate ankle mobilisation from day 1, full weight-bearing walking from day 5 to 7, and gradually take part in athletic exercises from 8 weeks postoperatively.ResultsPBRT was performed in 11patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture between June 2012 and June 2015. No wound infection, fistula, skin necrosis, sural nerve damage, deep venous thrombosis or tendon re-rupture was found. One year after the surgery, all patients reported 100 AOFAS ankle-hindfoot score points and the mean ATRS was 96.6.ConclusionThe PRBT is a simple, effective and minimally invasive technique, with no need for immobilisation of the ankle, making possible immediate and aggressive postoperative rehabilitation.     

腹壁正中切口关闭缝合的荟萃分析

目的 以相关的文献资料,对腹壁正中切口缝合关闭技术的安全性和疗效进行荟萃分析.方法 查询MedLine和Embase数据库中1981至2009年有关腹壁正中切口关闭缝合的文献,要求为具有1年以上随访、采用不同缝合技术和(或)不同缝线材料进行腹壁正中切口关腹的随机对照研究.分析指标包括切口疝、伤口裂开、伤口感染、缝线窦道形成等.结果 共纳入文献13篇,共计6263例患者.与连续缝合相比,间断缝合切口疝发生率明显增加(OR=0.80,95%CI:0.66～1.00;P=0.05),两种缝合方式在切口裂开、切口感染和窦道形成方面无显著差异.与连续不吸收缝线缝合相比,采用连续快吸收缝线的切口疝发生率显著增加(8.3%比15.8%,P＜0.05);而连续不吸收缝线缝合的窦道形成发生率更高(5.6%比1.0%,P＜0.05).与连续慢吸收缝线缝合相比,连续快吸收缝线缝合切口疝发生率更高(10.0%比15.8%,P＜0.05);与间断快吸收缝线缝合相比,使用间断不吸收缝线缝合窦道形成发生率更高(0比8.8%,P＜0.05);连续慢吸收缝线缝合与连续不吸收缝线缝合相比,两者切口疝、切口感染、切口裂开发生率等差异无统计学意义,而连续不吸收缝线缝合窦道形成发生率会明显增加(OR=0.47,95%CI:0.24～0.92;P＜0.05).连续缝合时,缝线长度与切口长度比值(SL/WL)＜4∶1与≥4∶1相比,切口裂开、切口感染差异无统计学意义;但SL/WL＜4:l时切口疝发生率会明显增加(P＜0.05).结论 腹壁正中切口缝合关闭以连续全层(SL/WL为≥4∶1)慢吸收缝线关腹为宜,适宜的关腹技术和材料,可以明显减少切口裂开、切口感染和切口疝的发生.     

Meta-analysis of techniques for closure of midline abdominal incisions

BACKGROUND: Various randomized studies have evaluated techniques of abdominal fascia closure but controversy remains, leaving surgeons uncertain about the optimal method of preventing incisional hernia. METHOD: Medline and Embase databases were searched. All trials with a follow-up of at least 1 year that randomized patients with midline laparotomies to closure of the fascia by different suture techniques and/or suture materials were subjected to meta-analysis. Primary outcome was incisional hernia; secondary outcomes were wound dehiscence, wound infection, wound pain and suture sinus formation. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were identified with a total of 6566 patients. Closure by continuous rapidly absorbable suture was followed by significantly more incisional hernias than closure by continuous slowly absorbable suture (P < 0.009) or non-absorbable suture (P = 0.001). No difference in incisional hernia incidence was found between slowly absorbable and non-absorbable sutures (P = 0.75), but more wound pain (P < 0.005) and more suture sinuses (P = 0.02) occurred after the use of non-absorbable suture. Similar outcomes were observed with continuous and interrupted sutures, but continuous sutures took less time to insert. CONCLUSION: To reduce the incidence of incisional hernia without increasing wound pain or suture sinus frequency, slowly absorbable continuous sutures appear to be the optimal method of fascial closure.     

An ideal suture for midline abdominal closure?

Background  

Within the last decade the customary trend of using non absorbable sutures has changed, with numerous studies and meta-analyses advocating the use of slowly absorbable sutures, claiming comparable wound strength with significantly lower incidence of wound complications. It was the objective of this randomized clinical trial to compare two universally accepted suture materials, the non-absorbable Nylon and the slowly absorbable Polydioxanone for midline abdominal closure in the Indian context.     

Granuloma formation secondary to Achilles tendon repair with nonabsorbable suture

INTRODUCTION

Several complications can be observed after Achilles tendon repairs. In this study we aimed to report granuloma formation secondary to Achilles tendon repair with Ethibond (Ethicon INC, Somerville, New Jersey) suture.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

A 31 year-old man operated for Achilles tendon rupture. The Ethibond suture was used for primary repair. The patient attended to polyclinic with the complaints of swelling and discharge around the operation site four months after operation. A mass around distal portion of the Achilles tendon was detected. The granulomatous tissue was excised. Inside the mass Ethibond suture was detected. On histopathologic examination, typical findings of the foreign body reaction were observed. No microorganism was cultivated in the tissue culture. The patient has no complaint on the twelfth month control after surgery.

DISCUSSION

The results of primary repair of Achilles tendon are good but several complications were reported. In tendon repairs generally nonabsorbable sutures are used. The Ethibond is nonabsorbable, braided suture. In the literature, granuloma formations secondary to the suture materials such as polygylactine and braided polyethylen–polyester after Achilles tendon repair were reported but granuloma secondary to the Ethibond is very rare.

CONCLUSION

Although Ethibond suture is a strong and safe material for Achilles tendon repairs it may cause soft tissue problems such as granuloma.     

A novel minimally invasive surgery combined with early exercise therapy promoting tendon regeneration in the treatment of spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture

ObjectiveAcute closed spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture often occurs in elderly individuals and is usually accompanied with many complications. Conventional surgical approaches to remove the tendon lesions and enthesophytes are highly traumatic and cause complications. In this study, a previously established minimally invasive surgical approach was modified and combined with a Kazakh exercise therapy to reduce trauma, improve wound healing, and promote tendon regeneration in the management of acute closed spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture.MethodsFifty-two patients with acute closed spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture were randomly classified into 2 groups. Group A included 23 patients that were treated with the novel approach. Group B included 29 patients that were treated with a continuous medial oblique surgical approach. Follow-up examinations were performed at post-operative weeks 12 and 24, and year 2. Outcomes were assessed by Achilles tendon rupture score (ATRS), a heel-rise endurance test, and ultrasonographic and multislice spiral computerized tomography.ResultsMean ATRS in Group A was 68.6 and 86.0 at post-operative week 12 and 24, respectively, significantly higher than that in Group B (55.9 and 72.0, respectively). Recovery of patients in Group A was significantly better compared to Group B (p < 0.01), allowing them to participate in early rehabilitating kinesiotherapy. Patients in Group A rarely experienced complications after surgery, such as infection and Achilles tendon exposure, while in Group B, the wound healing was slower, the inside flaps were prone to necrosis and infection, and Achilles tendon exposure occurred in 10% of patients.ConclusionsThe novel minimally invasive surgery is more advantageous in the treatment of acute closed spontaneous Achilles tendon rupture over previous approaches by promoting wound healing and tendon regeneration.     

Is Percutaneous Repair Better Than Open Repair in Acute Achilles Tendon Rupture?

Background  

Open repair of Achilles tendon rupture has been associated with higher levels of wound complications than those associated with percutaneous repair. However, some studies suggest there are higher rerupture rates and sural nerve injuries with percutaneous repair.     

小切口辅助经皮缝合系统修复急性闭合跟腱断裂并发症

目的：分析小切口辅助经皮修复急性跟腱断裂术后并发症的原因、处置及预防对策。方法 ：回顾性研究2008年8月至2019年11月采用小切口辅助经皮跟腱缝合系统（micro incision percutaneous Achilles tendon suture system,MIPAS）治疗的急性闭合性跟腱断裂患者279例,其中男269例,女10例;右侧96例,左侧183例;年龄18～64(36.9±11.4)岁;伤后至手术时间0.5～7(2.7±0.9) d。收集记录术后18个月内切口相关情况、再断裂、腓肠神经损伤、静脉血栓、跟腱粘连、局部疼痛和踝关节僵硬,以及相应处置措施和并发症转归,总结分析原因和预防策略。结果：所有患者未出现切口浅表及深部感染,未出现症状性跟腱粘连和踝关节僵硬。发生迟发性线结反应2例（0.7%）,再断裂5例（1.8%）,腓肠神经损伤3例（1.1%）,穿刺点皮肤内陷21例（7.5%）,症状性静脉血栓2例（0.7%）,一过性内踝后方疼痛45例（16.1%）。经个体化处理,功能良好,美国足踝外科协会（American Orthopaedic Foot&Ankle ...