When does one need surgery?
An operation is necessary for every complete quadriceps tendon rupture. It is the only way to restore the muscle to its function. Depending on where the tendon is torn, different fixation points or surgical procedures are used. However, surgery may also be indicated for an incomplete quadriceps tendon rupture. This depends on the patient’s condition and the stresses to which the knee is to be exposed again after the operation.
The surgery
The operation on the torn tendon should be performed as soon as possible after the rupture, since the two parts of the tendon drift further and further apart with increasing time. The longer you wait, the more difficult the operation and the more unsatisfactory the result. During the operation, the two parts of the tendon are sutured together again.
In order to increase stability, the sutures can, for example, be guided through specially made holes in the patella. Other ways to gain additional stability is to use tendon material from your own body. For example, the muscle semitendinosus, which runs along the back of the thigh, can be used for this purpose.
Another possibility would be the use of tendon material from the calf muscles. Overall, the operation is a procedure that tends to be less complication-prone than other operations. Studies have shown no significant increase in infections or thromboses.
The aftercare
The postoperative treatment is very quiet in the first weeks after the operation or after the rupture. With the help of an orthosis or a splint, the knee joint is immobilized to allow the tendon parts to grow together again. After surgery, four weeks are generally recommended for this purpose, and six weeks for conservative treatment.
After that, physiotherapeutic support should be used to slowly begin to load the muscle and tendon again. It is important that the knee is slowly accustomed to its full range of motion and load capacity and that nothing is rushed in this respect. Even despite the operation, the tendon is still very prone to injury in the subsequent period.
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