Abstract
Introduction: At the 2nd Orthopaedic Clinic of Turin the subcutaneous rupture of the Achillis tendon is treated with the Ma-Grifþth technique, followed by cast for eight weeks, weight bearing is possible after 2 months. Aim of this work is to evaluate 61 patients operated. Materials and methods: 61 patients were evaluated, divided into 2 groups: group A) 20 male patients treated from 1991 to 1996, mean age 37 years, follow-up 3,3 years, in the 1997 they had a clinical, echosonographic and isokinetic evaluation. Group B) 41 patients, 4 female, treated from 1997 to may 2002, mean age 37,5, mean follow-up 3,6 years, in the 2002 they were clinically evaluated. Results: Group A): the ecographic analysis revealed the thickening of the operated tendon, the isokinetich analysis revealed the same range of movement of the not-affected side, without lack of strength. Group A and B): at the clinical evaluation a normal walking and all the patients came back to the athletic activities in 5 months.
The 5% of the cases presented cicatricial adhaesions, the 10% of the cases presented a light hypoesthesia of the sural nerve. Only one rupture occurred after the re-beginning of the sport activity. Conclusion: This technique has several vantages, like the mini-invasivity, the rapidity of esecution and a low rate of severe complications and gave us good results, therefore we think that could be indicated in the non agonistic patient.
Theses abstracts were prepared by Professor Dr. Frantz Langlais. Correspondence should be addressed to him at EFORT Central Office, Freihofstrasse 22, CH-8700 Küsnacht, Switzerland.
