Mount Sinai Medical Center Chief of Orthopedic Surgery Publishes Technique on Minimally Invasive Procedure for Achilles Tendonitis

Procedure reduces recovery period, pain, and post-surgery complications and improves outcomes, according to new article published by the official journal of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.

MIAMI, Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Led by Dr. Vulcano, Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center, a new study explores a minimally invasive procedure to treat a common foot and ankle ailment (Achilles tendinopathy) by analyzing patient-reported outcomes with a minimum two-year patient follow-up.

The keyhole procedure, dubbed a percutaneous Zadek osteotomy (ZO), is a minimally invasive technique that can significantly decrease pain and provide patient with relief in as little as six weeks. Traditional open surgical approaches can take as long as one year for full recovery.

First-line treatment includes conservative therapies such as anti-inflammatory medications, activity limitation, physical therapy, and shoe wear modification. Eccentric loading therapy and shockwave therapy have demonstrated some success in this patient population. However, these non-operative strategies fail in over 80% of cases, and surgical intervention is considered more effective.

Dr. Vulcano's study has demonstrated an extremely high patient satisfaction and very low complication rate, with recovery times often thought unthinkable with a traditional surgery.

While Dr. Vulcano has treated Olympians and other professional athletes, he says that most people who suffer from Achilles tendinopathy are non-athletic women in their 40's and men in their 60's. He is one of a handful of doctors in the country to revolutionize the minimally invasive approach, which includes making two tiny incisions in the heel and removing a 10mm wedge of bone. This alters the orientation of the tendon fibers and optimizes its biomechanics.

"As a result of cutting-edge technology and the latest techniques at Mount Sinai, patients experience reduced postoperative pain and quicker return to function," explains Dr. Vulcano. "This is particularly important to athletes who can return to working out within weeks of surgery compared to traditional Achilles surgery."

About Mount Sinai Medical Center
Founded in 1949, Mount Sinai Medical Center is the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida. Mount Sinai's mission is to provide quality health care to a diverse community enhanced through teaching, research, charity care, and financial responsibility. Mount Sinai's Centers of Excellence combine technology, research, and academics to provide innovative and comprehensive care in cardiology, neuroscience, oncology, urology, and orthopedics. One of the original statutory teaching hospitals in the state of Florida, Mount Sinai is the hospital of choice for those who seek the level of expertise and care that only a teaching hospital can offer. Mount Sinai currently offers nine convenient locations in Miami-Dade County, including three emergency centers, and two specialty care offices and a primary care office in Monroe County. For more information on Mount Sinai Medical Center, visit msmc.com or call 305.674.CARE (2273).

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SOURCE Mount Sinai Medical Center of Florida