Efficacy of minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair assisted by porous metal plates in the treatment of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture

Objective To observe the efficacy of minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair assisted by porous metal plates in the treatment of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture.

Methods A total of 110 patients with acute closed Achilles tendon rupture were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 55 patients in each group. Patients in the control group were treated with traditional heel reconstruction by Achillon repair, and patients in the observation group were treated with minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair assisted by porous metal plates. The follow-up period was 6 months. The clinical indicators (operation time, surgical incision length, intraoperative blood loss, bed-off walking time, hospital stay, full weight bearing time, Achilles tendon healing time), American Association of Foot Surgery (AOFAS) ankle hind foot score, Achilles Tendon Complete Rupture Score (ATRS), laboratory indicatorstransforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), clinical efficacy and occurrence of complications were compared.

Results The operation time, surgical incision length, intraoperative blood loss, bed-off walking time, hospital stay, healing time of Achilles tendon, and total weight bearing time in the observation group were shorter or less than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the levels of TGF-β1 and BMP-2 in both groups were higher at 6 weeks after surgery compared with before surgery, and were higher in the observation group than those in the control group (P < 0.05); the excellent and good rate of the observation group was 94.55%, which was higher than 81.82% of the control group(P < 0.05); the total incidence of complications in the observation group was 3.64%, which was lower than 14.55% in the control group(P < 0.05).

Conclusion The minimally invasive Achilles tendon repair assisted by porous metal plates has a good effect in the treatment of acute closed Achilles tendon rupture. It can accelerate postoperative rehabilitation, improve the function of the affected limb, increase the levels of TGF-β1 and BMP-2. Besides, the porous metal plate is more closely fitted to the physiological and anatomical morphology of the pathological tissue, which can greatly reduce surgery-related injuries and complications, and has more advantages than Achillon repair.