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Distal biceps tendon ruptures present with an initial tearing sensation accompanied by acute pain; weakness may follow. The hook test is very reliable for diagnosing ruptures, and magnetic resonance imaging can provide information about the integrity and any intrasubstance degeneration of the tendon. There are subtle differences between the outcomes of single and modified two-incision operative repairs. With regard to complications, there is a higher prevalence of nerve injuries in association with single-incision techniques and a higher prevalence of heterotopic ossification in association with two-incision techniques. Fixation techniques include the use of bone tunnels, suture anchors, interference screws, and cortical fixation buttons. There is no clinical evidence supporting the use of one fixation method over another, although cortical button fixation has been shown to provide the highest load tolerance and stiffness. Postoperative rehabilitation has become more aggressive as fixation methods have improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the case of a thirty-year-old man who was struck by a tractor trailer while driving his motorcycle. The man experience severe pain in the left leg and arm. Deformities of the left arm and thigh were identified on his physical examination. A transverse fracture of the left humerus was treated with a coaptation splint. The man was taken to the operating room for definitive fixation of his left femoral fractures.