Percutaneous technique for Achilles tendon repair with the Dresden Instruments. Technique and results

Background. The percutaneous technique for Achilles tendon repair with the Dresden instruments (pDI suture) was developed to minimize the typical problems of percutaneous Achilles tendon sutures. Methods. From I January 2000 to 31 December 2003, the pDI suture was performed in 61 patients with 62 Achilles tendon ruptures. We reviewed 39 of 47 patients (83%) with 40 ruptured Achilles tendons who had undergone percutaneous repair at a minimal interval of 12 months after the operation. Results. In this study we observed no sural nerve injuries. The rerupture rate was 2/62 or 3.2%. In one patient (1.6%) a superficial late infection occurred after tendon healing. Using the criteria of Trillat and Mounier-Kuhn, 62% of the results were very good and 30% good. The average AOFAS score was 96 (78-100) points; 78% of the patients assessed the result of treatment as very good and 20% as good. Conclusions. The percutaneous suture using the Dresden instruments is a minimally invasive operative treatment of Achilles tendon rupture resulting in nearly all very good and good subjective and clinical results. It combines a low rerupture and infection rate with a minimized risk of sural nerve injury.