[Rupture of the Achilles tendon. Results of 10 years' follow-up after surgical treatment. A retrospective study].

From 1972 to 1980, 153 patients with acute rupture of the Achilles tendon were treated operatively in the Trauma Department of Hannover Medical School, 127 of whom were assessed postoperatively according to the Trillat scale at an average of 9.8 years after injury. Consideration of the tendon ruptures showed that 80% had occurred during sports activities, 86% were in males, and the highest incidence was in the age group 31-40 years (45%). In 67% an indirect trauma was present, and 35% of the patients had a history of antecedent pain and discomfort. In 77 patients the tendon was examined histologically within 24 h of injury. There was no histological evidence of antecedent pathology or degenerative condition in those cases with direct/indirect trauma, whereas in 11 of 13 cases without a history of trauma degenerative changes were observed. The operative procedure of the primary simple end-to-end suture with absorbable material showed fewer wound complications (8.4%) than were seen in the other group, in which non-absorbable sutures were used or secondary reconstructive procedures applied (3 of 8). The results obtained with primary operative tendon suturing were evaluated according to the Trillat scale as excellent in 68.8%; as good, in 20.8%; as satisfactory in 8.8%; and as poor in 1.6%. During a 10-year follow-up after primary tendon suture rerupture occurred in 2% of cases.