Tendon Repair Offered in Downtown Baltimore at Mercy
At The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy in Baltimore, our surgeons offer expertise in performing tendon repair due to foot and ankle injuries. Patients seek our foot and ankle specialists for their advanced surgical skills to repair their torn tendons.
What is a Tendon Repair?
Tendons can be torn either by an acute injury or by chronic wear and tear over time.
A tendon can be torn by completely rupturing into two separate detached pieces, like an Achilles tendon rupture.
Other tendons tear by developing splits in the tendon lengthwise and never detach completely, like the peroneal or posterior tibial tendons.
Both types of tendon tears are repaired surgically using sutures (stitches) to bring the torn parts of the tendon back together.
Over time, the tendon will heal and can return to near normal function.
Types of Tendon Repair procedures
One of the most common tendon tears is an Achilles tendon rupture. In most healthy patients, surgical repair of the tendon will lead to the best functional outcome.
At The Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction, a minimally invasive surgery called the PARS (Percutaneous Achilles Repair System) is performed through a small, less than one inch, incision. The two ends of the tendon are securely brought back together with non-absorbable sutures which allows for earlier weight bearing and rehabilitation.
The peroneal tendons are frequently torn after severe or repeated ankle sprains. They usually develop lengthwise splits in the tendon, but can also suffer complete ruptures just like the Achilles tendon.
The peroneal tendons can often be repaired primarily with sutures in a “baseball-type” running stitch. However in more severe tears, allograft donor tendon from a cadaver may be necessary to repair a large defect. Other repair options include transplanting a healthy tendon from the patient’s toes to replace the injured peroneal tendon or alternately tying the damaged peroneal tendon together to a healthier tendon.