We have reviewed 22 cases of acute rupture of the achilles tenden seen at Naticnal Seoul Ho pital during a seven-year peiod (1974.1 to 1980. 12), 17 treated surgically, and 5 treared cons ervatively, The results of a follow-up review are as follows: 1. Males predominated by a ratio of 21: 1. The mean age for the 22 patients was 29.8 years. Fourteen cases (63.6%.) were in the third decade. 2. The sites of rupture were 13 cases(58.4%.) on the left side and the level of rupture was at the tendon itself on 15 Cases (68.2%). 3. The cause of injury was indirect trauma in 14 cases (63.6%) and the most ccmmon mechanim of injury was a sudden push-off of the foot from the plantar flexed position: seven (50%) of 14 cases. 4. Positive Thompson test was noted in 19(86.3%) of 22 cases. 5. The average period of cast immobilization was 6 weeks in surgically treated cases and 10 weeks in conservatively treated cases. 6. The most common complication was wound infection, which developed in three cases(17.6%) postoperatively. One case of re-rupture (20%) developed after conservative treatment.
Follow-Up Studies ; Foot ; Humans ; Immobilization ; Male ; Rupture ; Seoul ; Tendons ; Wound Infection

In Korea the system of medical management has been bifurcated into two parts since the restoration of nation from Japanese after World War II. One is 'Western Medicine' and the other is 'Oriental Medicine' like Chinese but not like Japanese. The authors attempted to study on the unification of both medicines to prevent the confusion of medicare for people. The major part of medical care is accomplished by Western medicine among people in Korea and China. However, Oriental medicine is still present as well as college of Oriental medicine in small number. There have been long struggles between two parts of medicine because of each assertions for the theories. The ancient medicine has been likely to have its characteristics either in Western or Oriental medicine although in many countries were succeeded by Western medicine except a few Asian countries such as Korea and China. In Japan since the license of Oriental(herb) medicine was ceased about one hundred years ago, the Western medicine has been authorized by law until today and the herb is the secondary medicine as a kind of folk treatment as well as continuous and enormous study for scientification. In only China and Korea this herb medicine has been kept to use as a part of medicine by law though China has developed combined medicine to use both Western and Oriental medicine by one physician since previous prime minister Chou En-Lai around the year 1950 who made a recommendation to the two medical societies, Western and Oriental. This fact has a big sense to establish the unification of two medicines in near future in Korea as well as China. For this accomplishment of medical unification both parts of medicine require sincere and enormous efforts to study the theory and practice of herb medicine even from now on. This unification of two medicines will provide the best medicare in most convenient way to the people in the world creating new world medicine like the third medicine including alternative medicine. The acupuncture is changing to a new method in Western medicine especially applying into anesthesia and pain clinic in even USA and Western countries at this time. In conclusion the unification of the Western and Oriental medicine will provide the most reasonable and practical medicare including alternative medicine to people in the world. Because the Oriental medicine will be used at least separately to supplement the Western medicine by one physician
Asia ; China ; English Abstract ; History of Medicine, 20th Cent. ; Korea ; *Medicine ; Medicine, Oriental Traditional/*history ; Philosophy, Medical/*history ; Western World