Summary
Sixty-six patients with acute ruptures of the Achilles tendon were treated by immobilisation in a plaster cast for 12 weeks. Fifty-seven were followed up for a mean time of 70 months. Four re-ruptures occurred shortly after the initial treatment. Most patients had no or only slight complaints, three had moderate and one severe, problems. The activity level dropped slightly from 5.3 to 5.03 (Tegner score). The results are satisfactory with a low complication rate. The method is an alternative to operative repair, especially in patients declining operation and in those in whom operation or anaesthesia is contraindicated.
Résumé
Soixante-six malades ont fait l'objet d'une étude à long terme concernant le traitement non-chirurgical des ruptures aiguës du tendon d'Achille. Le recul moyen était de 70 mois. Les patients avaient été immobilisés dans un plâtre pendant 12 semaines. 4 ruptures itératives survinrent précocément (6%). La plupart des malades n'avaient pas ou peu de séquelles, trois seulement se plaignaient d'une gêne modérée et 1 d'une gêne importante. Le niveau d'activité avait légérement diminué, de 5.3 à 5.03 (selon le score de Tegner). Les résultats paraissaient satisfaisants dans l'ensemble, avec une taux peu élevé de ruptures itératives ou d'autres complications. La méthode constitue une alternative valable au traitement chirurgical, notamment chez les sujets qui ne veulent pas être opérés ou chez ceux qui présentent des contrindications à l'anesthésie ou à la chirurgie.
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Fruensgaard, S., Helmig, P., Riis, J. et al. Conservative treatment for acute rupture of the Achilles tendon. International Orthopaedics 16, 33–35 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182981
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00182981