HOW USEFUL IS ELASTOGRAPHY IN THE FOLLOW-UP OF ACHILLES TENDON REPAIR?

In addition to conservative modalities in the treatment of Achilles tendon injuries, open, percutaneous and minimally invasive semi-open techniques, as well as biological open surgical repair methods are used as surgical options. Compression elastography is one of the methods used for the follow-up of treatment in Achilles tendon injuries.

Methods:

23 patients were included in our study between July 2013 and June 2014, as long as they had at least 4 years of follow-up. In the final control, the intact side and the operated side were both examined and compared. The variables were the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS) which is measured as a functional score considering plantar flexion and dorsiflexion; calf circumference; Achilles tendon anteroposterior (AP) diameter; and elastographic examination.

Results:

The strain ratio value and AP diameter of the patients was significantly higher on the operated side than on the non-operated side (p <0.001). There was no significant difference between the plantar flexion and dorsiflexion degrees on the operated side of the patients(p> 0.05). No correlation was observed between strain ratio and AOFAS (p: 0,995).

Conclusion:

Elastography is not a useful technique to evaluate functional results on long-term tendon healing. Level of Evidence III; Retrospective comparative study.

Keywords:
Achilles tendon; Tendon Injuries; Elasticity Imaging Techniques

	Average	Standart Deviation	Median	Percentile 25	Percentile 75	P
AP Diameter (O)	11,08	11,07	6,80	5,50	14,10	<0,001 ^† † Wilcoxon Test
AP Diameter (NO)	3,97	0,98	3,50	3,20	4,60	<0,001 ^† † Wilcoxon Test
StrainRatio(O)	8,83	5,20	7,88	5,80	10,19	<0,001 ^† † Wilcoxon Test
StrainRatio(NO)	1,81	1,06	1,51	1,03	2,52	<0,001 ^† † Wilcoxon Test
PF(O)	35,02	5,22	34,75	30,00	39,00	0,534 ^* * Paired Sample T test.
PF(NO)	35,04	5,31	35,00	30,00	40,00	0,534 ^* * Paired Sample T test.
DF(O)	26,96	3,96	27,00	24,00	29,00	0,521 ^* * Paired Sample T test.
DF(NO)	26,26	4,67	7,00	24,00	28,00	0,521 ^* * Paired Sample T test.
Calf Circumference (O)	36,98	2,97	36,50	35,00	40,00	0,039 ^* * Paired Sample T test.
Calf Circumference (NO)	37,59	2,89	38,00	35,00	40,00	0,039 ^* * Paired Sample T test.

		Mean s.s	Median (Min-Max)
Age (year)		34,35 ± 6,47	34,00 (25.00-46.00)
Follow-up time (month)		61,74 ± 5,72	60,00 (56.00-76.00)
Operated side ^* * n is used instead of mean standard deviation while % is used instead of median.	Right	13	56,5
	Left	10	43,5

		Age	Follow-up time	AOFAS	AP diameter difference
Follow-up time	r	-0,431*
Follow-up time	p	0,040
AOFAS	r	-0,186	0,368
AOFAS	p	0,395	0,084
AP diameter difference	r	0,284	-0,199	-0,178
AP diameter difference	p	0,189	0,362	0,417
Strain ratio difference	r	0,150	0,199	-0,001	-0,063
Strain ratio difference	p	0,496	0,363	0,995	0,776

ATHA EDITORA Rua: Machado Bittencourt, 190, 4º andar - Vila Mariana - São Paulo Capital - CEP 04044-000, Telefone: 55-11-5087-9502 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: actaortopedicabrasileira@uol.com.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Correspondence: Mehmet Ümit Çetin, Namık Kemal mahallesi kampus cad. No: 1/14 Süleymanpaşa/Tekirdağ, Turkey, 59030 , drumitcetin@gmail.com