Achilles Tendinosis Study; Comparison of Radiofrequency to Surgical MicroDebridement

ArthroCare

Status and phase

Completed

Phase 4

Conditions

Heel Pain

Achilles Pain

Achilles Tendinosis

Treatments

Device: plasma microdebrider

Procedure: Mechanical Surgical Debridement

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT00534781

SM-107WW

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a research study to evaluate the outcomes after the study procedure for pain and discomfort in the heel caused from an injury in the Achilles tendon which is located on the back of the foot (commonly called "Achilles tendinitis"-Achilles tendinosis) that has not gotten better with medicine and/or other therapy.

Researchers want to see if using the study device changes outcomes for 1 year after the study procedure.

Full description

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.

Enrollment

60 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18+ years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Subject is at least 18 years of age
Subject presents with pain associated with the Achilles tendon graded as >5 on a 0 to 10- point scale
Subject's history and physical examination pinpoints anatomic origin of Achilles pain as associated with degeneration of the Achilles (non-insertional - proximal to retrocalcaneal bursa)
Magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with tendinosis
Subject (or guardian) must sign IRB approved informed consent form
Subject is willing and able to complete required follow-up

Exclusion criteria

Use of NSAID's (e.g., ibuprofen, naproxen) within 2 weeks prior to treatment by this study
Previous Achilles surgery on pathology to be treated by this study
Heel pain associated with plantar fasciosis
Multiple anatomic origins of pain in foot to be treated by study
History or documentation showing Type I and Type II Diabetes Mellitus
Physical findings and documentation of coagulopathy, infection, tumor or other systemic disease(s)
History or documentation showing peripheral vascular disease or autoimmune disease
Subject is currently participating in another drug/device study related to the degenerated Achilles
Pregnant or pregnant suspected subjects prior to treatment
History of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment (ESWT) on foot to be treated by study
Subject is incapable of understanding or responding to the study questionnaires