A comparison of the healing properties of rabbit Achilles tendon injuries at different levels.
Rabbit Achilles tendons were transsected at the muscle-tendon junction (Group 1), midtendon (Group 2), or at the calcaneus insertion (Group 3). Treatment consisted of immobilization in a long leg cast without surgical repair. The contralateral leg served as a control. Tensile testing was performed at four weeks. Groups 1 and 2 failed most often in the proximal muscle rather than at the healing site. In contrast, Group 3 failed more often at the healing site than in the muscle and was statistically superior to Groups 1 and 2 with respect to strength and stiffness. Statistically, control specimens showed failure at the musculotendinous junction at greater loads and were stiff compared to the experimental groups.
Kuschner
S H
SH
Department of Orthopaedics, University of Southern California, School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
Orlando
C A
CA
McKellop
H A
HA
Sarmiento
A
A
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D004548:Elasticity; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D011817:Rabbits; D012421:Rupture; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*