Surgical treatment of partial Achilles tendon rupture.

Fifty-four patients with a total of 58 partial ruptures of the Achilles tendon were treated surgically. The postoperative observation time ranged from 8 months to 7 years. Forty-six patients indicated that they were pleased with the results, 8 were satisfied, and 3 were unsatisfied (one died during the interim). Thirty-seven of the 44 patients who had been engaged in competitive sports preoperatively were able to return successfully to the activity. We recommend surgical treatment if conservative treatment for presumed tendinitis is not successful. The operative procedure may encourage revascularization to the Achilles tendon and innervation after surgical excision of the pathologic and degenerated tissue.