The percutaneous, Achilles tendon suture while retaining the peritendineum A rupture of the Achilles tendon is one of the most frequently encountered sports injuries, but it can also occur in everyday situations where comparatively little pressure is exerted, as when people slip off a step. There is a number of methods for treating a recent Achilles tendon rupture, which can be assigned to three groups of treatment: 1. an open, conventional tendon suture, 2. minimally invasive surgery techniques and 3. conservative, non-operative treatment. The most commonly used method of treatment is the open suture, which is technically very easy, but brings with it a level of post-operative wound healing problems of approx. 10% and a rerupture rate of approx. 2%. Comparatively low rerupture rates can be achieved by using the conservative treatment in Vario-Stabil® shoes; but this requires a high level of logistical expenditure and high-definition ultra-sound diagnostics, specially trained physiotherapists and an experienced orthopaedic shoe-maker. The tendon ends in the 20? plantar flexion position must largely be intact if the results are to function properly and this condition is not present in all patients.