Percutaneous Ultrasonic Tenotomy Reduces Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy Pain With High Patient Satisfaction and a Low Complication Rate

Abstract

Due to the novelty of percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy, the risks and benefits of this minimally invasive procedure for insertional Achilles tendinopathy pain have only been examined in case studies and retrospective chart reviews for other diagnoses. This retrospective chart review over a 3.5-year period identified 34 patients with insertional Achilles tendinopathy who had percutaneous ultrasonic tenotomy (mean age ± SD, 52.2 ± 11.6 years; mean body mass index, 32.9 ± 7.5 kg/m2; 62% female). This procedure reduced the rate of moderate/severe pain from 68% at baseline to 15% at the long-term follow-up and had a satisfaction rate of 70%. There was 1 minor complication out of 40 procedures in 34 patients.