Microcirculation in healing and healthy Achilles tendon assessed with invasive laser doppler flowmetry.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Achilles tendon (AT) rupture exhibits a prolonged healing process with varying clinical outcome. Reduced blood flow to the AT has been considered an underlying factor to AT rupture (ATR) and impaired healing. In vivo measurements using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) may be a viable method to assess blood flow in healthy and healing AT.

Methods

29 persons were included in the study; 9 being ATR patients and 20 healthy subjects without any prior symptoms from the AT. Invasive LDF was used to determine the post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) in the paratenon after 15 minutes of occlusion of the lower extremities. ATR patients were examined two weeks post-operatively.

Results

LDF-assessments demonstrated a significantly different (p < 0.001) PORH response

SUBMITTER: Arverud ED 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4915466 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan-Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature