Surgery is often described as an art and science. This case from last week depicts exactly how science can help surgical outcomes. This patient had chronic, marked unremitting symptoms on her firm and enlarged posterior heel. Insertional Achilles tendinosis was the diagnosis, note the enlarged degenerated tendon and the marked inflammation in the posterior calcaneus on the MRI.
In the images the tendon was debrided, the posterior Haglund’s bump was removed and the tendon, anchored and repaired. Tendinosis is degeneration or stagnation of the healing process and, in an attempt to achieve as best an outcome as possible, during the procedure Dr Joseph Grace, an expert in regenerative medicine, prepared the patient’s blood and then injected the PRP, which contains 5 growth factors in and around the surgical site directly post-operatively. This case portrays the continuous advancement in surgery and medicine and how evidence-based medicine can intertwine to produce excellent results.
If you have any specific questions or would like to discuss similar cases, feel free to contact me.
Also read:
Posterior “ankle pain”
1st MTPJ cartilage damage
(This content is intended for healthcare professionals only)