title: Achilles tendon rupture and our experience with the Achillon device.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Open repair of the Achilles tendon is still the gold standard for treating rupture. This technique has the disadvantages of a long and problematic operative scar and thickly scarred Achilles tendon. To improve the surgical outcome minimally invasive techniques have been developed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze our results of Achilles tendon repair using the Achillon device and compare them with published studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed surgical repair of the Achilles tendon in 28 patients during a 4 year period (2004-2008): 14 patients were treated with the Achillon device, 12 with the open suture technique and 2 with the percutaneous method. Fourteen patients were available for follow-up: 9 patients with the Achillon device, 3 patients with open suturing and 2 patients with the percutaneous technique. Follow-up ranged from 1 to 4 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average score of the AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale for the group treated with the Achillon device was 95.6 points (range 84-100) and for the group treated with the open method, 90 points (range 84-98). The length of the scar in patients operated with a minimally invasive technique was 3.81 cm (range 1-6 cm) as compared to 9.16 cm (range 8-10.5 cm) with the open suture.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first review on this procedure in Israel. Excellent functional results were achieved with this technique. Our outcomes were similar to those of two other studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel. feldbrin@netvision.net.il
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feldbrin
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hendel
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lipkin
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zin
authors.forename: Louis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schorr
mesh_terms: D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000293:injuries*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult