Percutaneous Achilles tendon repair combined with real-time sonography.

BACKGROUND When encountering complaints of pain in the area of Achilles tendon with a suspected lesion, the clinician seldom reaches a precise diagnosis based only on X-ray and clinical examination. Ultrasonography is useful for evaluating the pathology and treatment. OBJECTIVES To assess the relative contribution of real-time intraoperative ultrasound examination and immediate postoperative ultrasound in patients with acute rupture of the Achilles tendon treated by percutaneous suture method. The combination of both procedures provides a unique advantage that could facilitate better results. METHODS Ultrasound examination was used in 20 patients with acute rupture of the Achilles tendon who were treated surgically. Intraoperative as well as postoperative ultrasound examinations were performed in 5 patients while 15 patients underwent an immediate postoperative ultrasound. RESULTS Ultrasound pathologies were found in all patients. Percutaneous surgical correction of ruptured Achilles tendon with accurate positioning of the foot using real-time sonography was successful in all the patients. CONCLUSION As in many other soft tissue lesions, ultrasonography is a useful tool for evaluating the pathology and for planning the surgical correction of ruptures in the Achilles tendon.