Mechanical properties during healing of Achilles tendon ruptures to predict final outcome: A pilot Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis in 10 patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There are presently few methods described for in vivo monitoring of the mechanics of healing human tendon ruptures, and no methods for prediction of clinical outcome. We tested if Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) can be used to follow the restoration of mechanical properties during healing of ruptured Achilles tendons, and if early measurements can predict clinical results.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Achilles tendon repair was studied with RSA in 10 patients with a total rupture. Tantalum beads were implanted in conjunction with surgical repair. The patients were evaluated at 6, 12 and 18 weeks, and after 1 year. RSA was performed with two different mechanical loadings, and the strain induced by increasing load was measured. The transverse area was determined by ultrasound. CT scan at 12 weeks confirmed that the tantalum beads were located within the tendons. Functional testing was done after 1 year. A heel raise index was chosen as primary clinical outcome variable.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The strain was median 0.90, 0.32 and 0.14 percent per 100 N tendon force at 6 weeks, 18 weeks and one year respectively. The error of measurement was 0.04 percent units at 18 weeks. There was a large variation between patients, which appears to reflect biological variation. From 6 to 18 weeks, there was a negative correlation between increase in transverse area and increase in material properties, suggesting that healing is regulated at the organ level, to maximize stiffness. Modulus of elasticity during this time correlated with a heel raise index at one year (Rho = 0.76; p = 0.02).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that the RSA method might have potential for comparing different treatments of Achilles tendon ruptures.</p

The role of platelet rich plasma in musculoskeletal science

The idea of using platelet rich plasma (PRP) in medicine has been around since the 1970s. It is only more recently that its use has been employed in the area of musculoskeletal science. Platelet rich plasma in this area has received much media attention being used by many celebrity sports athletes for musculoskeletal injuries. Therefore it is important for the musculoskeletal practitioner to be aware of the concepts surrounding its use and application. In this article we cover what platelet rich plasma is, how it is prepared and administered, its potential clinical application, and what the current literature discusses in the various areas of musculoskeletal science

Percutaneous & Mini Invasive Achilles tendon repair

Rupture of the Achilles tendon is a considerable cause of morbidity with reduced function following injury. Recent studies have shown little difference in outcome between the techniques of open and non-operative treatment using an early active rehabilitation programme. Meta-analyses have shown that non-operative management has increased risk of re-rupture whereas surgical intervention has risks of complications related to the wound and iatrogenic nerve injury. Minimally invasive surgery has been adopted as a way of reducing infections rates and wound breakdown however avoiding iatrogenic nerve injury must be considered. We discuss the techniques and outcomes of percutaneous and minimally invasive repairs of the Achilles tendon

Early Tensile Loading in Nonsurgically Treated Achilles Tendon Ruptures Leads to a Larger Tendon Callus and a Lower Elastic Modulus : A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Early tensile loading improves material properties of healing Achilles tendon ruptures in animal models and in surgically treated human ruptures. However, the effect of such rehabilitation in patients who are nonsurgically treated remains unknown. Hypothesis: In nonsurgically treated Achilles tendon ruptures, early tensile loading would lead to higher elastic modulus 19 weeks after the injury compared with controls. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Between October 2015 and November 2018, a total of 40 nonsurgically treated patients with acute Achilles tendon rupture were randomized to an early tensile loading (loaded group) or control group. Tantalum bead markers were inserted percutaneously into the tendon stumps 2 weeks after the injury to allow high-precision measurements of callus deformation under mechanical testing. The loaded group used a training pedal twice daily to produce a gradual increase in tensile load during the following 5 weeks. Both groups were allowed full weightbearing in an ankle orthosis and unloaded range of motion exercises. Patients were followed clinically and via roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis and computed tomography at 7, 19, and 52 weeks after the injury. Results: The mean +/- standard deviation elastic modulus at 19 weeks was 95.6 +/- 38.2 MPa in the loaded group and 108 +/- 45.2 MPa in controls (P = .37). The elastic modulus increased in both groups, although it was lower in the loaded group at all time points. Tendon cross-sectional area increased from 7 weeks to 19 weeks, from 231 +/- 99.5 to 388 +/- 142 mm(2) in the loaded group and from 188 +/- 65.4 to 335 +/- 87.2 mm(2) in controls (P &amp;lt; .001 for the effect of time). Cross-sectional area for the loaded group versus controls at 52 weeks was 302 +/- 62.4 mm(2) versus 252 +/- 49.2 mm(2), respectively (P = .03). Gap elongation was 7.35 +/- 13.9 mm in the loaded group versus 2.86 +/- 5.52 mm in controls (P = .27). Conclusion: Early tensile loading in nonsurgically treated Achilles tendon ruptures did not lead to higher elastic modulus in the healing tendon but altered the structural properties of the tendon via an increased tendon thickness. Registration: NCT0280575 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier)

Altered patterns of displacement within the Achilles tendon following surgical repair

Ultrasound speckle tracking was used to compare tendon deformation patterns between uninjured and surgically repaired Achilles tendons at 14-27-month follow-up. The hypothesis was that the non-homogenous displacement pattern previously described in uninjured tendons, where displacement within deep layers of the tendons exceeds that of superficial layers, is altered following tendon rupture and subsequent surgical repair. In the first part of this study, an in-house-developed block-matching speckle tracking algorithm was evaluated for assessment of displacement on porcine flexor digitorum tendons. Displacement data from speckle tracking were compared to displacement data from manual tracking. In the second part of the study, eleven patients with previous unilateral surgically treated Achilles tendon rupture were investigated using ultrasound speckle tracking. The difference in superficial and deep tendon displacement was assessed. Displacement patterns in the surgically repaired and uninjured tendons were compared during passive motion (Thompson's squeeze test) and during active ankle dorsiflexion. The difference in peak displacement between superficial and deep layers was significantly (p &lt; 0.01) larger in the uninjured tendons as compared to the surgically repaired tendons both during Thompson's test (-0.7 +/- 0.2 mm compared to -0.1 +/- 0.1 mm) and active dorsiflexion (3.3 +/- 1.1 mm compared to 0.3 +/- 0.2 mm). The evaluation of the speckle tracking algorithm showed correlations of r ae&lt;yen&gt; 0.89 between displacement data acquired from speckle tracking and the reference displacement acquired from manual tracking. Speckle tracking systematically underestimated the magnitude of displacement with coefficients of variation of less than 11.7%. Uninjured Achilles tendons display a non-uniform displacement pattern thought to reflect gliding between fascicles. This pattern was altered after a mean duration of 19 +/- 4 months following surgical repair of the tendon indicating that fascicle sliding is impaired. This may affect modulation of the action between different components of the triceps surae, which in turn may affect force transmission and tendon elasticity resulting in impaired function and risk of re-rupture