Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34657973›Full record

ArticleKnee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA2022

The release of adhesions improves outcome following minimally invasive repair of Achilles tendon rupture.

Michael R Carmont, Sara Brandt Knutsson, Annelie Brorsson, Jón Karlsson, Katarina Nilsson-Helander

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In one paragraph

Article in Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. MicroRNA-127-3p Inhibits In Vitro Osteogenesis and Dampens Trauma-Induced Heterotopic Ossification In Vivo.Journal of orthopaedic research : official publication of the Orthopaedic Research Society · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Michael R CarmontThe Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Princess Royal Hospital, Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, Shropshire, UK. mcarmont@hotmail.com.
Sara Brandt KnutssonThe Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Annelie BrorssonThe Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Jón KarlssonThe Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Katarina Nilsson-HelanderThe Department of Orthopaedics, Institute of Clinical Sciences at Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden.
University of Gothenburg · SEShrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeOperative repair of Achilles tendon rupture may lead to complications, which influence outcome adversely. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, impact and response to treatment of post-operative adhesions.

methodsFrom February 2009 to 2021, 248 patients operated on with percutaneous or minimally invasive surgical repair have been prospectively evaluated using the Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) and Heel-Rise Height Index (HRHI), following acute Achilles tendon rupture.

resultsFourteen (5.6%) patients were identified as having adhesions. Four patients reported superficial adhesions and ten patients reported a deeper tightness of the tendon. At a mean (SD) of 10.5 (2.3) months following repair, the overall ATRS was at a median (IQR) 65 (44.5-78) points and (HRHI) was mean (SD) 81.5 (13.5)%. Of those deemed to have deep adhesions the antero-posterior diameter of the tendon was at mean (SD) 15.6 (4.6) mm. Open release of superficial adhesions resulted in improved ATRS in all patients. Endoscopic debridement anterior to the Achilles tendon led to alleviation of symptoms of tightness and discomfort from deep adhesions and improved outcome in terms of the ATRS score. At a mean (SD) of 15.9 (3.3)-month follow-up from initial rupture and repair, the patients reported at median (IQR) ATRS scores of 85 (64.8-92.8) points, Tegner level 5 (3-9) and mean (SD) HRHI 86.2 (9.5)%. Patients significantly improved both ATRS and HRHI following release at median (IQR) of 16.5 (- 1.8-29.3) points (p = 0.041) and mean (SD) 5.6 (8.3)% (p = 0.043).

conclusionsThe incidence of patient-reported adhesions following minimally invasive repair of Achilles tendon rupture was estimated to be 5.6%. The occurrence of superficial adhesions was associated with a lower outcome scores as well as symptoms of anterior tendon tightness and stiffness were associated with a lower score in most patients. Surgical release of adhesions led to a significant improvement in outcome.

Indexed as

Achilles TendonTendon InjuriesHumansMinimally Invasive Surgical ProceduresRuptureTreatment OutcomeAchilles tendon repairAdhesionsOutcome

Identifiers

PMID34657973
PMCPMC8901518
OpenAlexW3207004875

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.