Achilles Tendinosis Study; Comparison of Radiofrequency to Surgical MicroDebridement

Typically, Achilles pain results from overuse of the calf muscles (e.g., running, jumping) or abnormal biomechanical stress on the foot and ankle.(1). Overuse can injure the fibrous tissue that connects the heel to the calf muscles. Treating an injured Achilles tendon is crucial to avoid exacerbating the injury further, which may lead to partial or full rupture of the tendon. Tendinosis, sometimes complicated by partial rupture, appears to be the major lesion in chronic Achilles tendinopathy; the paratenon is rarely involved. Important features are a lack of inflammatory cells and a poor intrinsic ability to heal. Several million Americans receive treatment for tendinosis each year, with more than 200,000 patients treated each year for Achilles tendonitis and tendinosis alone.(5) Conservative treatment options for Achilles pain include rest, stretching, strengthening, ice and/or physical therapy. In general, non-surgical treatment of Achilles tendonitis and tendinosis is believed to be unsuccessful, so that surgical treatment is required in about 25% of patients; however, results of traditional surgical treatments have been reported to deteriorate with time. (3). The purpose of this study is to evaluate longitudinal improvement of AOFAS Ankle-Hindfoot Scale scores in patients with symptomatic Achilles tendinosis treated using radiofrequency-based plasma microtenotomy compared to standard surgical debridement.