An Exceptional Case of Suture Granuloma 30 Years Following an Open Repair of Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Case Report

INTRODUCTION: Rupture of the Achilles’ tendon is a common injury occurring particularly in middle-aged men due to sports trauma. Operative treatment is preferred generally due to lower risk of re-rupture. Possible complications of the operation include suture granulomas. Suture granulomas might represent a foreign body reaction, which itself is the end-stage response of the inflammatory wound-healing process to biomaterials. It may occur with both absorbable and non-absorbable suture materials such as silk in our case. The aim of this study is to present a case of a delayed foreign body reaction 30 years after open repair of the Achilles tendon with silk sutures. CASE REPORT: Our case is a 38-year-old male who presented to our outpatient clinic with complaints of swelling and pain around the posterior region of the ankle for the past 3 months. He had a history of open Achilles tendon repair at the age of 3 at the site of complaints. Physical examination was positive for a mass under the incision scar. Magnetic resonance imaging report was positive for a granulomatosis formation. The patient was booked for an operation to remove the mass. CONCLUSION: Suture granuloma represents a tissue reaction against the suture material. Orthopedic literature is sparse for such cases and case reports. Both because of its rarity in orthopedic literature and the amount of time between the surgery and reaction, our report is a valuable addition to the literature.