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Background: Extensor pollicis longus (EPL) rupture and tenosynovitis of the third dorsal compartment is often described in association with a history of rheumatoid arthritis or in the setting of a distal radius fracture. However, the literature suggests multiple other potential factors that may lead to a seemingly spontaneous rupture., Methods: We performed a systematic review following guidelines set forth by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The search consisted of headings and keywords related to tendon injuries, tendinopathy, hand surgery, tendon transfer, and injections, as published in reports and studies. Citations were screened by title and abstract against predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria by 2 independent reviewers, with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. To be eligible, articles had to meet the following inclusion criterion: describe cases of spontaneous EPL rupture or tenosynovitis of the third dorsal compartment. The exclusion criterion was any history of distal radius fracture or rheumatoid arthritis., Results: We identified 29 articles that met the inclusion criterion., Conclusions: A myriad of prodromal events or predisposing factors ultimately led to EPL rupture or tenosynovitis of the third compartment. Methods of reconstruction described included primary repair, tendon grafting, and tendon transfer techniques; all with generally good outcomes. These results highlight the inherent fragility of this tendon and support the historical recommendation for early release of the EPL tendon in the setting of tenosynovitis of the third dorsal compartment., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare hereditary disease. Ochronotic arthropathy, tendinopathy, and osteopenia/osteoporosis are generally musculoskeletal manifestations in patients with AKU. Because of the ochronotic tendinopathy and osteopenia, the surgical strategy for chronic ochronotic Achilles tendon rupture may be challenging. No studies have reported the surgical treatment of chronic Achilles tendon rupture in patients with AKU., Case Presentation: We report a case of AKU that required surgical treatment for chronic Achilles tendon rupture. A 60-year-old woman was referred to our department for the assessment of left hindfoot pain that persisted for more than nine months after an ankle sprain. Three years prior to the first presentation to our hospital, she was diagnosed with AKU due to pigmented hip cartilage at the time of total hip arthroplasty. The patient was diagnosed as chronic Achilles tendon rupture based on the results of physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The MRI showed enlarged scar tissue of the Achilles tendon with an intrasubstance high signal intensity. We performed resection of the central part of the scar tissue (total length, 24 mm) followed by direct repair using the proximal and distal stumps of the scar tissue. The MRI at 12months after surgery showed continuity of the repaired Achilles tendon. At 18 months after surgery, the Achilles Tendon Total Rupture Score improved from 22 points preoperatively to 84 points postoperatively. The foot and ankle outcome score also improved., Conclusions: We reported a case of AKU with chronic Achilles tendon rupture in which direct repair using scar tissue between the tendon stumps was effective. Careful selection of the surgical procedure for the treatment of chronic ochronotic Achilles tendon rupture is recommended because of concomitant ochronotic tendinopathy and osteopenia/osteoporosis., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Flexor pollicis longus rupture is an uncommon but potentially debilitating complication after volar locking plate fixation of distal radius fractures, occurring secondary to tendon attrition against the implant. This nature of tendon injury typically precludes primary repair. This paper will illustrate 2 reconstruction techniques, an interpositional tendon graft and a tendon transfer, that have been utilized successfully by the authors., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest and Source of Funding: C.J.D. is on the editorial board for HSS Journal. R.P.C. is the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Hand Surgery. For the remaining authors none were declared., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To investigate patient and radiographic factors that may correlate with the time to flexor tendon rupture following volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures., Methods: A total of 31 patients who underwent volar plate removal because of flexor tendon rupture were analyzed. Patient demographics and the interval from operative fixation until rupture were determined retrospectively. Volar tilt and lateral carpal alignment were measured radiographically. The Soong classification was used to grade volar plate prominence. The correlation between the duration to tendon rupture and volar tilt, carpal alignment, and age was evaluated., Results: There were 7 men and 24 women. Mean age at the time of hardware removal and flexor tendon management was 66 years (n = 31). Radiographs were classified as Soong 1 (n = 24) and Soong 2 (n = 3). The mean measured volar tilt was -4° (range, -20°-+7°). The mean interval from operative fixation until complete tendon rupture was 4.9 years, (range, 0.3-13.1 years; n = 30). There was no correlation between the time interval to rupture and the magnitude of tilt, carpal alignment, or age at the time of operative fixation., Conclusions: Although volar plate prominence was present in all patients with flexor tendon ruptures, radiographic parameters including the degree of dorsal tilt, lateral carpal alignment, and patient age did not correlate with the time interval from fixation to tendon rupture., Type of Study/level of Evidence: Prognostic IV., (Copyright © 2024 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The complete loss of finger extension leads to significant inconvenience in daily life and often requires surgical treatment. Despite some disadvantages, the Boyes method, which uses the flexor digitorum superficialis tendon, is commonly performed for complete extensor rupture. We report the case of a 73-year-old woman living alone diagnosed with a subcutaneous rupture of all extensor tendons from the index to the little finger. The favourable range of motion of her wrist allowed us to perform extensor tenodesis. Additionally, the patient had a dislocated thumb interphalangeal (IP) joint, enabling us to use the extensor pollicis longus tendon for tendon transfer in combination with thumb IP joint fusion. The patient demonstrated favourable finger range-of-motion outcomes at the 6-month postoperative assessment. The case shows that extensor pollicis longus tendon transfer and tenodesis may be a viable treatment option for patients with complete extensor rupture accompanied by thumb IP joint deformity and normal wrist range of motion., (© Japan College of Rheumatology 2024. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site–for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption is an infrequent but devastating complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our knowledge of specific risk factors for this complication is limited by the current literature. Thus, this study aimed to identify potential risk factors for quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption following TKA., Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the PearlDiver Administrative Claims Database. Patients undergoing TKA without a prior history of quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption were identified. Quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption included rupture of the quadriceps tendon, patellar tendon, or fracture of the patella. Patients who had a minimum of 5 years of follow-up after TKA were included. A total of 126,819 patients were included. Among them, 517 cases of quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption occurred (incidence 0.41%). Hypothesized risk factors were compared between those who had postoperative quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption and those who did not., Results: On multivariate analysis, increased Charlson Comorbidity Index (odds ratio (OR): 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.07 to 1.13]; P < .001), obesity (OR: 1.49, 95% CI [1.24 to 1.79]; P < .001), and fluoroquinolone use any time after TKA (OR: 1.24, 95% CI [1.01 to 1.52]; P = .036) were significantly associated with quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption., Conclusions: Our study identified the incidence of quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption following TKA as 0.41%. Identified risk factors for quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption after TKA include an increased Charlson Comorbidity Index, obesity, and use of fluoroquinolones postoperatively., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Extensor mechanism injuries, which comprise patella fractures, patella tendon tears and quadriceps tendon tears, are severely debilitating injuries and a common cause of traumatic knee pathology that requires surgical intervention. Risk factors for short-term surgical complications and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in this population have not been well characterised. The aim of this study was to identify perioperative risk factors associated with these short-term complications., Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was used to identify patients who underwent an isolated, primary extensor mechanism repair from 2015 to 2020. Patients were stratified by injury type. Demographic data were collected and compared. A multivariate logistic regression was used to control for demographic and comorbid factors while assessing risk factors for developing short-term complications., Results: A total of 8355 patients were identified for inclusion in this study. Overall, 3% of patients sustained short-term surgical complications and 1% were diagnosed with VTE within 30 days of surgery. Patella fracture fixation had a nearly twofold higher risk for surgical complications compared to quadriceps tendon repair (p = 0.004). Patella tendon repair had a twofold higher risk for VTE (p = 0.045), specifically deep vein thrombosis (p = 0.020), compared to patella fracture fixation. Increasing age, smoking and American Society of Anesthesiologists Classifications 3 and 4 were also found to be risk factors for surgical complications (p = 0.012, p = 0.004, p = 0.011 and p = 0.032, respectively)., Conclusion: This study used a nationally representative, widely validated, peer-reviewed database to provide valuable insights into risk factors for short-term postoperative complications associated with extensor mechanism repair procedures, revealing notable differences in risk profiles among distinct surgical procedures. The results of this study will inform surgeons and patients in enhancing risk assessment, guiding procedure-specific decision-making, optimising preoperative care, improving postoperative monitoring and contributing to future research of extensor mechanism injuries., Level of Evidence: Level III., (© 2024 European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.)

Irreducible anteromedial radial head dislocation (IARHD) caused by transposed biceps tendon is rare. Delayed diagnosis and surgical failure often occur. A 46-year-old fisherman presented with 10 days history of painful swelling and restricted movement of his right elbow due to strangulation injury by a fishing boat cable. On examination, the images of the right elbow reveals in a "semi-extended and pronated" elastic fixation position. Radiography and 3-dimensional reconstruction CT reveals an isolated anteromedial radial head dislocation with extreme protonation of the radius and the bicipital tuberosity towards the posterior aspect of the elbow joint, and MRI shows biceps tendon wrapping around the radial neck, similar to umbilical cord wrapping seen in newborns. The Henry approach was applied for the first time to reduce the biceps tendon. The patient achieved a good functional recovery at 26 months, which represents the first reported case of IARHD without fracture caused by biceps tendon in an adult. In treatment of IARHD, attention should be paid to the phenomenon of biceps tendon transposition. Careful clinical examination, comprehensive imaging modalities, and appropriate surgical approach are the keys to successful management., (Copyright © 2023 Chinese Medical Association. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Spontaneous tendon or ligament ruptures are quite rare and mostly associated with chronic systemic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this study, we present the first documented case of a spontaneous rupture of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) in a pediatric patient. The patient was undergoing long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD) and had a history of severe secondary hyperparathyroidism. Additionally, we discussed spontaneous tendon and ligament ruptures associated with CKD or dialysis through a comprehensive literature review. This case report highlights the importance of recognizing that spontaneous tendon or ligament injuries are not exclusive to adults; children with CKD can also be affected. Several factors including poor parathyroid hormone (PTH) and metabolic acidosis control, prolonged CKD duration and presence of malnutrition play role in the pathogenesis. Early diagnosis is crucial as it allows for timely surgical intervention and leads to a favorable functional recovery., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

This article reviews and highlights complications of flexor tendon repairs. Although the outcomes of flexor tendon repairs have improved over the years, fair or poor functional outcomes are seen, especially in patients whose trauma involves multiple structures of the hand and in zone 5 with multiple tendon lacerations. Rupture of the flexor tendon after repair is no longer a major problem if current repair principles are carefully adhered to. Different degrees of adhesion formations and interphalangeal (IP) joint stiffness still occur in a few patients. Early active postoperative mobilization and use of a shorter splint with sparing of the wrist are effective measures to prevent adhesion formation and IP joint stiffness. Given the overall poor results and high rate of complications with flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) repairs in zone 1, a direct repair of the FDP tendon to any short remnant of the distal insertion with 10-strand or even stronger core suture repair is adopted by many units., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: It has been suggested that hypertrophy of the radial tuberosity may result in impingement leading to either a lesion of the distal biceps tendon or rotational impairment. Two previous studies on hypertrophy of the radial tuberosity had contradictory results and did not examine the distance between the radius and ulna: the radioulnar window. Therefore, this comparative cohort study aimed to investigate the radioulnar window in healthy subjects and compare it with that in subjects with either nontraumatic-onset rotational impairment of the forearm or nontraumatic-onset distal biceps tendon ruptures with rotational impairment of the forearm by use of dynamic 3-dimensional computed tomography measurements to attain a comprehensive understanding of the underlying etiology of distal biceps tendon ruptures. We hypothesized that a smaller radioulnar window would increase the risk of having a nontraumatic-onset distal biceps tendon rupture and/or rotational impairment compared with healthy individuals., Methods: This study measured the distance between the radius and ulna at the level of the radial tuberosity using entire-forearm computed tomography scans of 15 patients at the Amphia Hospital between 2019 and 2022. Measurements of healthy subjects were compared with those of subjects who had nontraumatic-onset rotational impairment of the forearm and subjects who had a nontraumatic-onset distal biceps tendon rupture with rotational impairment of the forearm. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for individual comparisons, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for group comparisons., Results: A significant difference was found between the radioulnar window in the forearms of the subjects with a distal biceps tendon rupture (mean, 1.6 mm; standard deviation 0.2 mm) and the radioulnar window in the forearms of the healthy subjects (mean, 4.8 mm; standard deviation, 1.4 mm; P = .018). A trend toward smaller radioulnar windows in the rotational impairment groups was also observed, although it was not significant (P > .05)., Conclusions: The radioulnar window in the forearms of the subjects with a distal biceps tendon rupture with rotational impairment was significantly smaller than that in the forearms of the healthy subjects. Therefore, patients with a smaller radioulnar window have a higher risk of rupturing the distal biceps tendon. Nontraumatic-onset rotational impairment of the forearm may also be caused by a similar mechanism. Future studies are needed to further evaluate these findings., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: There exists a gap in the knowledge of the impact of smoking on Achilles tendon rupture repair. This study evaluates perioperative and postoperative complications associated with smoking to allow for a more informed evaluation and discussion with the patients when considering the surgical management of Achilles tendon repair in this patient population., Methods: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients undergoing Achilles tendon rupture repair from 2006 to 2019. Two patient cohorts were defined in this retrospective study: smokers and patients who did not smoke. The various patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and postoperative outcomes were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses between the smoking and non-smoking groups., Results: Of 4209 patients who underwent Achilles tendon repair, 3662 patients (87%) did not smoke, whereas 547 patients (13%) were smokers. Patients who were smokers were more likely to be younger and have a higher body mass index. Following multivariate analyses, those who smoked had an increased risk of experiencing wound dehiscence (OR 3.57; p = 0.013) and urinary tract infections (OR 1.21; p = 0.033) compared to non-smoking patients., Conclusion: Despite the rate of complications being relatively low in the short-term perioperative period, individuals who smoke should be counseled on the surgical risks they may experience following Achilles tendon repair, including wound dehiscence and urinary tract infections. Discussion preoperatively between the physician and patient who smoke can include ways in which postoperative care will be done to minimize the risk of adverse events, ultimately reducing costs for both the patient and the hospital., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

Simultaneous bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures are a rare occurrence commonly associated with a traumatic event or systemic disease. A 31-year-old man presented with simultaneous bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures with associated hyperparathyroidism secondary to parathyroid carcinoma. The injury occurred after the patient attempted to lift a small wooden log from the ground. We discussed the multidisciplinary management of this patient resulting in bilateral quadriceps tendon repairs, tumor resection, and oncological and endocrinological restoration. Clinical follow-up is reported at 15 years after surgery. Parathyroid carcinoma is an extremely rare cancer and rarely the cause of hyperparathyroidism. The systemic effects of the tumor eventually lead to the rupturing of both quadriceps tendons. Orthopaedic physicians must remain vigilant in identifying the root cause of injuries that are atypical in nature., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Background: Intramedullary implants are an increasingly common method for fixation of metacarpal fractures. Numerous techniques for instrumentation have been described with varied consideration for the risk of extensor tendon injury. The current cadaveric study evaluates the prevalence and degree of extensor tendon injury and compares percutaneous approaches with different drilling techniques., Methods: Ninety-six metacarpals (thumbs excluded) from 24 fresh-frozen cadaveric upper extremities were used to compare 2 percutaneous approaches and 2 drilling techniques. This resulted in 4 subgroups available for comparison: oscillate to bone (OB), forward to bone (FB), oscillating through the skin (OS), and forward through the skin (FS). After instrumentation, the extensor tendons were dissected and disruption was characterized. The main outcome measures were tendon "hit rate" and relative extensor tendon defect width., Results: Tendon hit rate was significantly higher in the long finger (LF), that is, 79.2%, compared with other metacarpals: index finger, 20.8%; ring finger, 12.5%; and small finger 25%. The mean relative tendon disruption was significantly less in the OB group (16.05%) compared with the other groups: FB (31.84%), FS (31.50%), and OS (29.85%)., Conclusion: Retrograde intramedullary screw fixation of metacarpal fractures can be performed using percutaneous approaches without a significant disruption of the extensor mechanism. Instrumentation through a longitudinal stab incision down to the metacarpal head and the use of drill oscillation minimize injury to the extensor tendons. The LF extensor tendon is most at risk with retrograde intramedullary implant placement., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: Spontaneous tendon rupture (STR) is one of the complications related to hyperparathyroidism. This study aims to verify this and to elucidate the feasibility of combined incidence rate of STR and bony fracture to assess clinical management of renal bone disease in dialysis cohort., Method: This is a clinical audit of cases of STR and fracture with 5504 patient-year dialysis vintage over 10 years. In order to verify the risk factor, comparison of cases of tendon rupture, the gender, and dialysis vintage matched patients without tendon rupture were done, followed by comparison with post-parathyroidectomy patients., Result: Six cases of STR involving eight tendons were identified, including a case of concurrent tendon rupture and bony fracture. These include two cases of double tendons ruptures. During this time, there were 15 cases of bony fracture without tendon rupture. The overall incidence rate for STR and fracture was of 0.0011 and 0.0029 incidence per year of dialysis vintage or one case per 917 and 344 patient-year dialysis vintage, respectively. For patients with PTH ≥ 600 pg/mL, the incidence rate of tendon rupture and fracture was 0.0199 and 0.0430 incidence per person-years or one case per 50 and 23 person-years, respectively. For patients with PTH < 600 pg/mL, the respective rate was 0 and 0.0006 incidence per person-years or one case per >5202 and 1734 person-years. There was significant difference for incidence rates of tendon rupture and fracture between these two groups, with six incidences of tendon rupture per 302 patient-dialysis-years of PTH ≥ 600 pg/mL versus 0 incidence per 5202 patient-year dialysis vintage of PTH < 600 pg/mL (p < 0.001). In similar comparison, there was also significant difference for incidence rate of fracture with 13/302 versus 2/5202 (p < 0.001). In the 5 yearly audit over 10 years, the incidence rates of tendon rupture and fracture have dropped from 0.0052 to 0.0028 or one incidence per 192 to 356 person-years. Among 35 patients post-parathyroidectomy, there was an incidence of tendon rupture in a patient with recurrence of hyperparathyroidism, 5 years after surgery. Comparing six survived patients with tendon rupture versus 12 age-gender-dialysis vintage matched patients, hyperparathyroidism has been shown to be most important risk factor. And subsequently, comparing them with six post-parathyroidectomy patients, reduction of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) has been shown to be associated with lower risk of tendon rupture. Median survival in patients with history of tendon rupture and those with history of fracture was 5.9 and 2.2 years, respectively (p = 0.192)., Conclusion: Although rare, end-stage renal failure patients on dialysis with PTH > 600 pg/mL had high risk of tendon rupture and bony fracture. Parathyroidectomy might reduce the risk of tendon rupture and fracture with lowering ALP signifying reduction in bone turn over. Combined incidence rate of tendon rupture and fracture could be used to assess the control of hyperparathyroidism related issues in dialysis center., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the incidence of plate-related complications and the need for plate removal after volar plate osteosynthesis of the distal radius in relation to Soong classification., Methods: All consecutive patients (age > 16 years) in our level II trauma center treated with plate osteosynthesis for distal radius fractures from January 2017 until June 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. The main outcome measures were volar plate positioning according to Soong classification and incidence of plate removal. In addition, the incidence of tendon ruptures, reasons for volar plate removal, and improvement of complaints after removal were evaluated., Results: The overall incidence of plate removal in the 336 included patients was 16.9% (n = 57). Removal incidence in Soong 2 plates (28.2%) was significantly higher compared to Soong 0 and 1 plates (8.0% and 14.4%, respectively), P = 0.003. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis showed Soong grade 2 as an independent predictor for plate removal, OR 4.3 (95% CI 1.4-13.7, P = 0.013). Four cases of flexor and four cases of extensor tendon rupture were reported, all in Soong 2 grade plating. The main reasons for volar plate removal were pain (42%) and reduced functionality (12%). In cases where pain was the main reason for removal, 81% of patients reported a decrease in pain during follow-up after surgery., Conclusions: This study suggests an association between plate prominence graded by Soong and plate removal using a single plating system. Plate prominence should be reduced in volar plating whenever technically feasible., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Introduction: About one fifth of all sports accidents involve the hand. Many injuries can be diagnosed and treated easily. However, some of them such as fractures of the scaphoid or the hamate of the hamulus are difficult to detect with conventional radiographs and are often missed without a CT scan. Ligament injuries such as the skier's thumb must be recognized and treated properly, often surgically. There are also sport-specific injuries, such as the closed rupture of a flexor tendon pulley in climbers, which otherwise occur rarely and are little known. These topics, pitfalls and tricks will be discussed., Competing Interests: Es bestehen keine Interessenskonflikte., (© 2023 Aerzteverlag medinfo AG.)

Background: Healing failure after rotator cuff repair is a challenging problem. Acute, trauma-related tears are considered a separate entity and are often treated surgically. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with healing failure in previously asymptomatic patients with trauma-related rotator cuff tears treated with early arthroscopic repair., Methods: This study included 62 consecutively recruited patients (23% women; median age, 61 years; age range, 42-75 years) with acute symptoms in a previously asymptomatic shoulder and a magnetic resonance imaging-verified full-thickness rotator cuff tear after shoulder trauma. All patients were offered, and underwent, early arthroscopic repair, during which a biopsy specimen was harvested from the supraspinatus tendon and analyzed for signs of degeneration. Of the patients, 57 (92%) completed 1-year follow-up and underwent assessment of repair integrity on magnetic resonance images according to the Sugaya classification. Risk factors for healing failure were investigated using a causal-relation diagram where age, body mass index, tendon degeneration (Bonar score), diabetes mellitus, fatty infiltration (FI), sex, smoking, tear location regarding integrity of the rotator cable, and tear size (number of ruptured tendons and tendon retraction) were included and analyzed., Results: Healing failure at 1 year was identified in 37% of patients (n = 21). A high degree of FI of the supraspinatus muscle (P = .01), a tear location including disruption of rotator cable integrity (P = .01), and old age (P = .03) were associated with healing failure. Tendon degeneration as determined by histopathology was not associated with healing failure at 1-year follow-up (P = .63)., Conclusion: Older age, increased FI of the supraspinatus muscle, and a tear including disruption of the rotator cable increased the risk of healing failure after early arthroscopic repair in patients with trauma-related full-thickness rotator cuff tears., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

There are multiple surgical options for treatment of chronic Achilles tendon (AT) rupture according to the classifications and length of defect. However, no gold standard method has been confirmed, and there is no clear evidence to support the superiority of 1 procedure over others. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term clinical outcome of flexor hallucis longus tendon (FHL) transfer for chronic AT rupture with large defect. Clinical data of patients treated with FHL transfer due to chronic AT rupture between January 2009 and October 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. All cases were presented with AT rupture for more than 4 weeks after injury. The gap between ruptured ends was > 5 cm after debridement in all patients. The harvest of FHL was performed through a single incision in accordance with AT rupture debridement in all cases. Clinical outcomes were assessed with AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale, Achilles tendon total rupture score and AOFAS hallux metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale. Twenty-eight patients were followed successfully for 62.6 ± 22.2 months. According to the complete datasets obtained from 28 patients, none of the tendons re-ruptured. The AOFAS ankle-hindfoot scale and Achilles tendon total rupture score at last follow-up visit was 90.4 ± 5.7 and 89.8 ± 5.3 respectively, which revealed statistically significant improvement from the preoperative score of 61.1 ± 6.7 and 53.8 ± 8.3. The AOFAS hallux metatarsophalangeal-interphalangeal scale at last follow-up visit was 87.5 ± 6.1. The FHL transfer through a single incision for chronic AT rupture with large defect is a safe and simple method with low risk of morbidity and complications., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Tibial tubercle fractures in pediatric patients are increasing in frequency as more children participate in sports. These injuries are often seen in boys engaging in jumping activities before closure of their proximal tibial physis. Bilateral tibial tubercle fractures have been reported in the literature, but less frequent are associated patellar tendon ruptures with fracture of the tubercle. In this case report, we present an 11-year-old girl who sustained bilateral tibial tubercle fractures, including an associated patellar tendon rupture from the tubercle on the right lower extremity. We describe our technique for the management of both injuries, which included a primary patellar tendon repair for the right leg and Kirschner wire fixation of the displaced tubercle for the left leg. The patient ultimately had a successful outcome at the final follow-up with healed fractures and full range of motion of both knees. In this case report, we also present similar cases from the literature and the differing treatment strategies., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Purpose: Both limited-open and percutaneous techniques have been described for retrograde insertion of intramedullary metacarpal screws. The percutaneous approach does not allow direct visualization of the starting point at the metacarpal head. However, it limits soft tissue dissection and expedites the procedure. The purpose of our study was to determine whether percutaneous, retrograde intramedullary screw fixation causes substantial iatrogenic damage to the extensor tendon. We also investigated whether larger sized screws would cause greater tendon injury compared to smaller screws., Methods: Eight fresh frozen cadaver hands were used for percutaneous, retrograde intramedullary screw insertion of the index, long, ring, and small finger metacarpals of each specimen. Three different types of headless compression screws were used: a small fully threaded screw, a large fully threaded screw, and a Herbert-style partially threaded screw. After insertion, dissection was carried down to the screw entry site. Extensor tendon damage was evaluated, including tendon defect size and any irregularities noted in the tendon., Results: There was no statistical difference with respect to how frequently a screw perforated the extensor tendons between all four finger metacarpals. Overall, the defect width caused by the screw was minimal, ranging from 0.66 mm to 1.89 mm for all finger and screw types. The large style screw did cause the greatest mean defect width, however, this was not statistically significant. When normalized to total tendon width, the defect was less than 28% of the total tendon width, with an average of 20% for all finger and screw types. Upon gross inspection, there was no fraying or irregularity noted at the screw-tendon insertion site, and it was often difficult to identify the screw entry site through the tendon by direct visualization alone. No tendon ruptures were noted., Conclusions: This study found that percutaneous insertion of a retrograde, intramedullary metacarpal screw causes minimal extensor tendon injury. In contrast to the limited-open approach, the percutaneous technique requires less soft tissue dissection and the possibility of reduced swelling, scarring, and risk of adhesions. Moreover, it has the potential to allow for early functional rehabilitation and reduced operative time. Interestingly, none of the tendons demonstrated fraying or rupture, as one might expect to occur with blind passage of a drill and screw through a tendon. Overall, the percutaneous, retrograde intramedullary screw technique appears to cause minimal iatrogenic injury to the extensor tendon.

Case: A 22-year-old athlete sustained a traumatic posterior tibial tendon (PTT) rupture with medial malleolus fracture and anterior tibial plafond chondral lesion during practice. He underwent PTT repair, ankle arthroscopy with microfracture, and medial malleolus open reduction and internal fixation with deltoid ligament repair. At 1 year postoperatively, the patient returned to activity excluding high-level competition., Conclusion: Anterior tibial chondral impaction injury with an avulsion fracture of the medial malleolus and PTT tear is effectively treated with a combined arthroscopic and open approach., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms are provided with the online version of the article (http://links.lww.com/JBJSCC/C188)., (Copyright © 2023 by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Incorporated.)

Purpose: To systematically review and evaluate the current meta-analyses for the treatment of acute Achilles tendon rupture (AATR). This study can provide clinicians with a clear overview of the current literature to aid clinical decision-making and the optimal formulation of treatment plans for AATR., Methods: Two independent reviewers searched PubMed and Embase on June 2, 2022 based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Assessment of evidence was twofold: level of evidence (LoE) and quality of evidence (QoE). LoE was evaluated using published criteria by The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and the QoE by the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) scale. Pooled complication rates were highlighted for significance in favour of one treatment arm or no significance., Results: There were 34 meta-analyses that met the eligibility criteria, with 28 studies of LoE 1, and the mean QoE was 9.8 ± 1.2. Significantly lower re-rupture rates were reported with surgical (2.3-5%) versus conservative treatment (3.9-13%), but conservative treatment was favoured in terms of lower complication rates. The re-rupture rates were not significantly different between percutaneous repair or minimally invasive surgery (MIS) compared to open repair, but MIS was favoured in terms of lower complication rates (7.5-10.4%). When comparing rehabilitation protocols following open repair (four studies), conservative treatment (nine studies), or combined (three studies), there was no significant difference in terms of re-rupture or obvious advantage in terms of lower complication rates between early versus later rehabilitation., Conclusion: This systematic review found that surgical treatment was significantly favoured over conservative treatment for re-rupture, but conservative treatment had lower complication rates other than re-rupture, notably for infections and sural nerve injury. Open repair had similar re-rupture rates to MIS, but lower complication rates; however, the rate of sural nerve injuries was lower in open repair. When comparing earlier versus later rehabilitation, there was no difference in re-rupture rates or obvious advantage in complications between open repair, conservative treatment, or when combined. The findings of this study will allow clinicians to effectively counsel their patients on the postoperative outcomes and complications associated with different treatment approaches for AATR., Level of Evidence: IV., (© 2023. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).)

An acute rupture of the Achilles tendon is a traumatic injury that can cause considerable morbidity and reduced function. Nonoperative intervention may put patients at higher risk of rerupture, whereas surgical intervention carries risk of infection, wound complications, and iatrogenic nerve injury. The mini-open Achilles tendon repair technique has been popularized in helping decrease complications. The goal of this study was to examine and compare the functional outcomes and rate of complications in patients treated with a mini-open repair technique versus a traditional open repair for acute Achilles tendon ruptures. A retrospective review was performed of all patients with a complete Achilles tendon rupture that were treated by a single foot and ankle fellowship-trained surgeon. Functional outcome scores were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle scoring system (AOFAS) and the Achilles Tendon Rupture Score (ATRS). Eighty-one patients with a complete Achilles tendon rupture underwent mini-open repair and 22 patients underwent traditional open repair surgery between 2013 and 2020. The mean follow-up was 38.40 months (range, 12-71). Mean preoperative AOFAS and ATRS improved in the mini-open group from 45.60 and 47.18 respectively, to 90.29 and 87.97 after surgery (p < .05). Mean preoperative AOFAS and ATRS scores for the traditional open repair (n = 22) cohort were 44.02 and 42.27, respectively. Postoperatively, the AOFAS and ATRS scores improved to 85.27 and 86.64 (P value < .05), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative ATRS scores. However, the mini-open repair group showed a statistically higher postoperative AOFAS score (90.30) than the traditional open-repair group (85.27) (P value < .05). The overall complication rate for our study was 2.9% (2 mini-open repair and 1 traditional open repair). The complication rate in the mini-open repair group and traditional open repair cohort were 2.4% and 4.5%, respectively (P value > .05). One patient in the mini-open repair cohort (1.2%) reruptured his Achilles tendon 4 months postoperatively. A second patient in the mini-open repair group (1.2%) developed a superficial skin infection and suture irritation. One patient (4.5%) in the traditional open repair group developed a superficial skin infection. There were no sural nerve injuries in our series. The mini-open approach to repair a ruptured Achilles tendon is a viable treatment option to decrease the incidence rate of postoperative complications and rerupture rates while also producing a superior cosmetic result. Level of Evidence : 3 (retrospective cohort study N ≥ 30).

Background: Achilles tendon injuries are common in adults, and there is extensive literature describing the injury characteristics and treatment of these adult injuries. However, Achilles injuries are rare in the pediatric population and as a result, there is limited research reported on this age group. We therefore sought to characterize the injury presentation, treatment and outcomes for pediatric patients with partial and complete Achilles injuries., Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients aged 0-18 treated for Achilles tendon injuries at 2 geographically distinct tertiary institutions between 2008 and 2021. Data collected included demographics, injury characteristics, and treatment course. Injury types were separated into 2 cohorts: traumatic Achilles injuries and ruptures due to muscular contraction. Traumatic injuries were further delineated into 2 injury mechanisms: open injuries related to penetrating trauma and closed injuries related to blunt trauma. Standard descriptive analyses were utilized to summarize findings., Results: Thirty-nine patients (43.6% female, median age 15 years) were identified, 29 (74.4%) of whom had complete tears. Twenty-five patients (64.1%) presented with traumatic injuries; among these, 48.0% (n=12/25) were ≤12 years. All patients ≤12 years sustained a traumatic injury. The most common traumatic mechanism was an open laceration due to penetrating trauma (68.0%), followed by closed ruptures associated with blunt trauma (32.0%). Fourteen patients (35.9%) presented with closed ruptures due to muscular contraction. Four patients (10.2%) had a prior history of clubfoot treated with Achilles tenotomy. Thirty-five patients (89.7%) were surgically treated with an open repair. The median immobilization period across all patients was 11 weeks (interquartile range: 10-12), starting most commonly with a posterior splint (46.2%) and concluding with a CAM boot (94.9%). Of patients with full follow-up data (n=22/39), all resumed normal activities, with a median clearance time of 6 months (interquartile range: 5-7.9)., Conclusions: We found that older adolescents (≥14 y) were more likely to rupture their Achilles tendon through a forceful muscular contraction, whereas younger patients (≤12 y) were more likely to injure their Achilles via a traumatic mechanism. Most patients were treated operatively and returned to sports at a median time of 6 months. A further prospective study is warranted to better characterize treatment protocols and patient outcomes in this population., Level of Evidence: Level-IV., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Extensor tendon repair can be technically challenging and can lead to suboptimal outcomes and complications even if managed perfectly. This article describes the pertinent clinical anatomy of the extensor mechanism, reviews outcomes and complications following extensor tendon repair, and provides guidance on how to avoid and manage complications when they occur., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Extensor mechanism rupture is a severe complication with an incidence of 0.1-2.5% after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Achilles tendon allograft (ATA) and extensor mechanism allograft (EMA) in TKA surgery have yielded mixed clinical results. Our systematic review aims to identify the proportion of failure in extensor mechanism reconstruction after TKA using allograft and evaluate clinical and functional outcomes and the most common complications. Furthermore, we performed a meta-analysis among studies dealing with isolated patellar tendon ruptures to assess the failure rate, surgical complications, and clinical findings (extensor lag and knee range of motion) of extensor mechanism reconstruction using either ATA or EMA grafts., Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed following the PRISMA guidelines, including the studies dealing with the use of EMA and ATA for extensor mechanism rupture following TKA. Coleman Methodology Score and the MINORS score were used to assess the quality of the studies. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the failure rate, complications, and clinical findings (extensor lag and knee range of motion) of the ATA and EMA treatments in isolated patellar tendon ruptures., Results: A total of 238 patients (245 knees), with a mean age ranging from 54 to 74 years, who underwent extensor mechanism reconstruction with an allograft were identified in the 18 included studies. We analysed 166 patellar tendon ruptures, 29 quadriceps tendon ruptures, and 29 patellar fractures in the analysis. A chronic injury was described in the majority of included cases. ATA and whole EMA were used in 89 patients (92 knees) and 149 patients (153 knees), respectively. The overall failure percentage was 23%, while EMA and ATA were 23 and 24%. The most common complication was extensor lag (≥ 20°). The overall incidence of postoperative infection was 7%. Eleven of 14 included papers reported more than 100° of the mean postoperative knee flexion. The percentage of patients requiring walking aids is 55 and 34.5% in ATA and EMA, respectively. The failure outcome after extensor mechanism reconstruction in isolated patellar tendon ruptures was 27%, with no statistical difference between EMA and ATA in terms of failure rate and clinical outcomes., Conclusions: Extensor mechanism reconstruction with allograft represents a valid treatment option in patients with acute or chronic rupture following total knee arthroplasty. Persistent extensor lag represents the most common complication. EMA is associated with a lower frequency of patients requiring walking aids at last follow-up, although it has similar clinical and functional outcomes to ATA. In patellar tendon ruptures, ATA has a comparable success rate with EMA., Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study., Trial Registration: PROSPERO 2019 CRD42019141574., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Background and Objectives: Studies on rotator cuff tears (RCT) in patients younger than 50 years have focused on the post-operative outcomes. Little is known about cuff tear etiopathogenesis, although it is a common belief that most tears are due to trauma. We have retrospectively verified the prevalence of medical conditions, whose role in tendon degeneration development have been widely demonstrated, in a group of patients younger than 50 years with postero-superior RCT. Materials and Methods : 64 patients [44M-20F; mean age (SD): 46.90 (2.80)] were enrolled. Personal data, BMI, smoking habit, diseases (diabetes, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, thyroid diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) were registered. The possible triggering cause and the affected side and tear dimensions were recorded, and statistical analysis was then performed. Results : 75% of patients had one or more diseases and/or a smoking habit for more than 10 years. In the remaining 25%, only four patients referred had had a traumatic event, while in the other eight patients, both medical condition and trauma were registered. The presence of two or more diseases did not affect RCT size. Conclusions : In our series, three quarters of patients with RCT had a smoking habit or medical conditions predisposing them to a tendon tear; therefore, the role of trauma in RCT onset in patients younger than 50 years is markedly resized. It is plausible that in the remaining 25%, RCT may be due to trauma or to genetic or acquired degeneration. Level of Evidence: IV.

Introduction: the rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon is a rare pathology and usually occurs in adult women in relation to distal radius fractures., Material and Methods: we present the case of an adolescent female patient who, after conservative treatment with splinting of a Peterson type I physeal fracture of the radius, suffered an acute extension deficit of the thumb at six weeks, diagnosed with clinical radiological examination as spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL). She was treated with extensor pollicis indicis propius (EIP) transfer with satisfactory results and recovering her usual activity one month after surgery., Conclusion: this kind of injuries are infrequent in pediatric ages and rarely described in a pediatric patient with immature skeleton, what makes this case something exceptional. It is necessary considering these complications in patients of low ages even with no other risk factors. The most frequent treatment applied in adults as in children is the EIP transference with good results in the long term.

Objectives: To analyze the risk factors associated with postoperative flexor tendon rupture, after a volar plate fixation of distal radius fractures., Design: Retrospective observational case-control study., Setting: Tertiary Care University Hospital in the Republic of Korea (2009-2020)., Patients: Sixteen referred patients were treated for flexor tendon rupture, following previously performed volar plating of distal radius fractures at other institutions. 16 patients were randomly selected from our database as controls, and were matched based on the Soong grade of the case group., Intervention: Not applicable., Main Outcome Measurements: Radial tilt and radial height were measured on anteroposterior radiographs. The volar tilt, tear drop angle, carpal translation, and Soong grade were measured in a lateral view., Results: Quantitative measurements of the volar tilt, carpal translation, and tear drop angle were positively correlated with the flexor tendon rupture. The mean volar tilt and tear drop angle in the tendon rupture group were significantly smaller than those in the control group. The mean carpal translation in the tendon rupture group was significantly greater than that in the control group., Conclusions: This study demonstrated that volar tilt, carpal translation, and tear drop angle are significant risk factors for flexor tendon rupture, especially for plates placed at Soong grade 1 or 2. We suggest that the potential for tendon rupture because of incomplete reduction of the distal radius fracture along with implant prominence volar to the watershed line aggravates flexor tendon irritation at the distal edge of the plate because of distorted flexor tendon paths., Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Two patients are presented with late-term ruptures of their flexor tendon grafts 10 and 40 years, respectively, after reconstruction. Both occurred from low-energy mechanisms. Their ruptures were intratendinous and not at the proximal or distal insertions. Electron microscopy demonstrated degeneration and increased matrix deposition. Immunohistology showed viable tenocytes, but no clear vascular organization to the disrupted grafts. Even after clinically successful flexor tendon autograft, tendons may still be at risk of degeneration and rupture a decade or more after reconstruction.

Objectives: Reconstruction for a chronic patellar tendon rupture in a native knee is an uncommon surgical procedure. Although there have been case series investigating patient-reported outcomes, there is no systematic review of these studies to date. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the literature on this procedure to better understand its outcomes, complications, and surgical technique options., Methods: A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify studies that reported outcomes and techniques of patellar tendon reconstruction for chronic disruption in native knees. Searches were conducted through MEDLINE using PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and clinicaltrials.gov., Results: Ten studies with 103 patients and 105 knees were included. Results for nonnative (arthroplasty) knees were excluded. The mean patient age was 40.3 years, and the mean postsurgical follow-up time was 53.8 months. Of the 105 knees, 75% received a hamstring tendon graft, whereas 13% received a bone-tendon-bone graft and 7% received a whole extensor mechanism allograft. The mean preoperative range of motion was 113.8°, which improved to 126.0° postoperatively. The mean preoperative Lysholm score was 58.6, which improved to 86.0 postoperatively; 100% of patients returned to their normal work activities and 76% returned to their prior level of physical activity. There were no major complications reported in any of the included studies., Conclusions: Chronic patellar tendon disruption in a native knee is an uncommon injury that can result in significant limitations for patients. Although more research is needed to better elucidate which graft is best, outcomes after patellar tendon reconstruction for chronic tears appear to be satisfactory with current techniques.

Background: A rare but typical perioperative complication in the surgical treatment of pediatric forearm fractures is injury to the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon. This article presents the long-term results after reconstruction of the EPL tendon with transposition of the extensor indicis (EI) tendon in children and adolescents after surgically treated forearm fracture., Patients and Methods: Over a period of 15 years, 22 children up to the age of 16 were treated with EI transposition analogous to adult care. In a follow-up examination, the range of motion of the finger and thumb joints, retropulsion of the thumb and index finger, abduction and opposition were examined. In addition, hand span and strength in the gross, key, and point grasp were measured. Subjective complaints were questioned and the DASH score was assessed., Results: Rupture of the EPL tendon is a rare complication, accounting for 1% of all surgically treated paediatric forearm fractures. 15 patients with an average age of 10.9 years could be followed up for an average of 66.5 months after transposition of the EI tendon. Significant differences were found in reduced mobility of the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb, isolated extensor strength of the index finger, a reduced span between the thumb and index finger in palmar abduction, and reduced strength in the pointed grip. Subjectively, the differences between the sides were not noticed by the patients and their parents in everyday life., Conclusions: Transposition of the EI tendon for reconstruction of a ruptured EPL tendon as a rare complication after paediatric forearm fracture does lead to a measurable and significant reduction in index finger mobility on the affected side in the long term, but without subjective limitations of the children., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive complications profile for quadriceps tendon-autograft anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (QT ACL-R)., Methods: A traditional and grey literature search was conducted in accordance with PRISMA and R-AMSTAR guidelines. PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, Web of Science, and many grey literature sources were searched from inception to May 29, 2022. All studies were searched and screened in duplicate with included studies being of all levels of evidence, reporting complications, and with patients of all ages undergoing primary ACL reconstruction with quadriceps tendon autograft in the last 15 years. Studies were excluded if they had cadaveric or animal subjects or were reviews. Risk of bias assessment was conducted using MINORS criteria for non-randomised studies and Cochrane's RoB 2.0 for randomised studies. Data were summarised with weighted event rates generated under a random-effects model., Results: A total of 55 studies (5315 reconstructions) were included: 32 used quadriceps tendon with bone block (B-QT), 19 used all-soft tissue quadriceps tendon (S-QT), and four did not report the QT graft subtype used. Included patients had an age range of 6.2-58 years and an average reported follow-up time of 28.1 months (range, 6-90 months) for non-randomised studies and 34.3 months (range, 0.233-120 months) for randomised studies. Pooled incidence rates for clinically relevant major complications included contralateral ACL injury at 6.0%, postoperative meniscal issues at 5.4%, cyclops lesions at 4.8%, graft failure at 4.1%, patellar fracture at 2.2%, hardware removal at 1.7%, infection at 1.5%, and donor-site quadriceps tendon rupture at 0.7%. Pooled incidence rates for clinically relevant minor complications included anterior knee pain at 9.7%, kneeling pain at 9.5%, sensation deficits at 4.4%, loss of extension at 4.2%, donor-site tendinopathy at 3.9%, cosmetic issues at 1.8%, and hematoma at 1.5%., Conclusions: QT ACL-R resembles other graft types in its rates and types of postoperative complications. In this exploratory systematic review, no complications of QT ACL-R were found to be disproportionately represented in the literature. This graft type should remain an option with comparable complication rates to other graft choices., Level of Evidence: Level IV., Registration: This study was preregistered under PROSPERO with preregistration code CRD42022302078., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).)

Extensor pollicis longus tendon ruptures are rarely reported after traumatic events, especially after distal radius fractures. Its classical presentation is a late-onset and unilateral rupture after a non-displaced distal radius fracture. In this case report, we present the treatment of a patient with acute bilateral extensor pollicis longus tendon ruptures after bilateral displaced distal radius fractures. The patient was treated with bilateral open reduction and volar plate fixation via a volar Henry approach for distal radius fractures and bilateral extensor indicis proprius tendon transfer for extensor pollicis longus tendon ruptures. We achieved satisfactory results, and no complications were reported with these treatment approaches. However, this case report demonstrates that extensor pollicis longus tendon rupture may occur at the time of fracture; thus, clinicians should be aware of this issue.

A spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon after a fracture of the distal radius is a known complication in adults. In contrast, there are a paucity of reports concerning EPL tendon ruptures in children and adolescents. The authors present a case of a spontaneous rupture of the EPL tendon in a 15-year-old girl after a non-displaced distal radius fracture. The patient had no predisposing factors including rheumatoid arthritis or steroid injection. During surgery, the EPL tendon was found to be ruptured at the extensor retinaculum (third compartment). Extensor indicis proprius (EIP) to EPL transfer was performed. At the 18-month follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and showed satisfactory thumb function, with normal active extension.

Distal radius fractures are common orthopedic injuries. Treatment has varied historically, but volar locking plating currently predominates. Although flexor tendon injury is a well-studied complication of this operation, extensor tendon injury is less well studied. The purpose of this review is to search the literature and present the epidemiology, presentation, and treatment of this complication. The Cochrane, EMBASE, PubMed, and SCOPUS databases were searched for the terms "volar" + "radius" + ("plate" OR "plating") + "extensor." Ninety final studies were included for analysis in this review. The incidence of extensor tendon rupture varies from 0% to 12.5%; the extensor pollicis longus is most commonly ruptured. The presentation and management of extensor tendon injury after injury, intraoperatively, and postoperatively are summarized. Radiographic views are described to detect screw prominence and minimize intraoperative risk. Extensor tendon injury after volar locking plate for distal radius fractures is an uncommon injury with several risk factors including dorsal screw prominence and fracture fragments. Removal of hardware and tendon transfers or reconstruction may be necessary to prevent loss of extensor mechanism.

Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is a rare although very serious injury for football players; currently, studies on ATR in football are scant. This case report intends to firstly describe the situational pattern and three-dimensional mechanism of the ATR injury occurred to a professional football player during the last UEFA 2020 Championship. To reconstruct the full 3D joint kinematics throughout the injury action, the model-based image-matching technique was used. The key findings were: (i) ATR injury combined a sudden ankle dorsiflexion action with an internal plantarflexion moment while performing a crossover cut at high speed; (ii) a multi-planar loading occurred during the push-off phase.Level of evidence V., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery, Arthroscopy (ESSKA).)

Spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon at the wrist has been reported with predisposing factors to include distal radius fractures, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic or local steroids, and repetitive abnormal motion of the wrist joint.We present a case of an 18-year-old college lacrosse player without history of known predisposing factors who presented with an acute inability to extend the interphalangeal (IP) joint of his right thumb. Preoperative musculoskeletal ultrasound demonstrated rupture of the EPL tendon proximal to the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb. A tendon transfer was therefore performed, where the extensor indicis proprius (EIP) was surgically rerouted to reconstruct the ruptured EPL. The athlete eventually returned to competition without sequela.We suggest that the tendon rupture was secondary to repetitive stick checking during play, causing microtrauma to his exposed dorsal wrist. Lacrosse team physicians, athletic trainers, and equipment managers should be aware of this injury mechanism and ensure that their players, and attackmen in particular, are equipped with gloves which adequately pad the dorsal wrist to decrease the risk of microtrauma to the EPL tendon.

We describe our experience of managing extensor hood injuries in boxers (57 fingers). The diagnosis was mostly clinical, with imaging only if the diagnosis was equivocal. The middle (61%) and index (26%) digits were most frequently injured. On exploration, 26% had no hood tear, however all required tenolysis from the adherent capsule. Of 42 hood tears, 15 were central splits between adjacent extensor tendons in the index or little fingers,15 tears were on the ulna side of the extensor tendon and 12 tears were on the radial side. A pseudobursa was encountered in 35%, capsular tears in 28% and chondral injury in one patient. Longitudinal curved metacarpophalangeal joint incisions were used, with hood repair performed in flexion using a locked running suture. Mean postoperative metacarpophalangeal joint flexion was 90°. Ninety-eight per cent returned to the same level of boxing at a mean of 8 months (range 1-24) from surgery. One finger was revised for re-rupture 6 months later. A reproducible technique for treating these injuries is described, with patients able to return to boxing with little risk of complications. Level of evidence: IV.

Abstract: Pediatric Achilles tendon injuries requiring surgical treatment are considered rare and have not been well described. A retrospective chart review was conducted from 2010 to 2020 to identify cases of acute Achilles tendon rupture or laceration that required surgical repair in individuals 19 years or younger. A total of 24 individuals with acute Achilles tendon ruptures (n = 8) and lacerations (n = 16) were identified. All spontaneous ruptures occurred in skeletally mature individuals during sports. One subject was on minocycline at the time of injury, while two had a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 99% for age. Another had a history of clubfoot surgery on the injured side. Patients with lacerations were younger (9.9 ± 3.3 vs 16.3 ± 1.6 years) and had lower BMI (17.3 ± 3.8 vs. 28.0 ± 9.4) than those with spontaneous ruptures. The majority of cases had good outcomes with no postoperative complications., (Copyright © 2022 by the American College of Sports Medicine.)

Disruption of the extensor mechanism is debilitating with surgical repair being the accepted treatment. The incidence of infection and reoperation after extensor mechanism repair are not well reported in the literature. Thus, the objective of the current study was to (1) determine the incidence of surgical site infection and reoperation within 1 year of primary extensor mechanism repair and (2) identify independent risk factors for infection and reoperation following patellar and quadriceps tendon repair. A retrospective review of the 100% Medicare Standard Analytic files from 2005 to 2014 was performed to identify patients undergoing isolated patellar tendon repair and quadriceps tendon repair. Diagnosis of infection within 1 year of operative intervention and revision repair were assessed. Extensor mechanism injuries in the setting of total knee arthroplasty and polytrauma were excluded. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate risk factors for postoperative infection and reoperation within 1 year. Infection occurred in 6.3% of patients undergoing patellar tendon repair and 2.6% of patients undergoing quadriceps tendon repair. Diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] = 1.89, p  = 0.005) was found to be an independent risk factor for infection following patellar tendon repair. Reoperation within 1 year occurred in 1.3 and 3.9% following patellar tendon and quadriceps tendon repair, respectively. Age less than 65 years (OR = 2.77, p  = 0.024) and obesity (OR = 3.66, p  = 0.046) were significant risk factors for reoperation after patellar tendon repair. Hypertension (OR = 2.13, p  = 0.034), hypothyroidism (OR = 2.01, p  = 0.010), and depression (OR = 2.41, p  = 0.005) were significant risk factors for reoperation after quadriceps tendon repair. Diabetes mellitus was identified as a risk factor for infection after patellar tendon repair. Age less than 65 years, peripheral vascular disease, and congestive heart failure were risk factors for infection after quadriceps tendon repair. The current findings can be utilized to counsel patients regarding preoperative risk factors for postoperative complications prior to surgical intervention for extensor mechanism injuries., Competing Interests: S.Y. reports personal fees from Advanced Orthopaedic Solutions, outside the submitted work, and ÚAOS: Board or committee memberÚO Technical Congress (AOTK), and Computer-Assisted and Image Guided Surgery Group (CIEG): Board or committee member. M.D.M. reports personal fees from Arthrex, Inc., personal fees from Saunders/Mosby-Elsevier, personal fees from Wolters Kluwer Health–Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, outside the submitted work, and American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine: Board or committee member. B.C.W. reports grants and personal fees from Arthrex, Inc., grants from Biomet, grants from Exactech, Inc., grants from Flexion Therapeutics, outside the submitted work, and ÚAOS: Board or committee member for American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Board or committee memberÚmerican Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, and Board or committee member. All the other authors report no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Sharps and needlestick injuries are serious work-related injuries to the hand in healthcare workers (HCWs). We present two cases of HCWs with hand injuries from opening a medicinal glass ampoule. The index finger (IF) was involved in both cases, with an associated flexor tendon injury, presenting as inability to flex the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints. Sensation was intact, and radiographs showed no foreign body.The surgical repair of the flexor tendon injury was carried out using the Wide-awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet technique. The quality of the repair was tested intraoperatively. Physiotherapy involved gradual progression of finger flexion from 30% to 50% to full range of motion. At 36 and 42 months follow-up, they regained the IF range of motion and returned to work.Flexor tendon injuries from opening medicinal glass ampoules are rare but can be devastating, with a long rehabilitation process after surgical repair., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Fracture of the os peroneum is rare, and displacement of the fracture can be indicative of a tear in the peroneal longus tendon. A fifth metatarsal base fracture is a common injury caused by sudden inversion and plantar flexion of the hindfoot. We observed a rare case of a fifth metatarsal base zone I fracture combined with a displaced os peroneum fracture in a 34-year-old woman. The patient was treated with resection of the os peroneum and repair of the peroneal longus tendon, as well as open reduction and internal fixation of the fifth metatarsal base. After exposing the fragment of the fifth metatarsal base, the distal part of the fractured os peroneum was found to be located just under the fracture site. There were no complications or discomfort of the foot or ankle at 2 years postoperatively. Resection of the os peroneum and direct repair of the peroneal longus tendon were easily performed after the fifth metatarsal base fragment was exposed. This was an innovative method for performing peroneal longus tendon repair in the deep portion of the midfoot., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Background: A rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon located close to the Lister tubercle is an uncommon complication of distal radius fractures. This study aimed to determine whether the size and shape of Lister tubercle in patients with EPL rupture differs from a matched group of patients with distal radius fractures without EPL rupture. Methods: We identified 15 patients with EPL rupture (3.5%) out of 426 with distal radius fractures treated conservatively at our hospital over 4 years. Out of the remaining 411 patients with distal radius fractures without EPL rupture, we selected patients using simple random sampling and pseudo-randomised them such that their age, sex and fracture type were matched with patients exhibiting EPL rupture. The size and shape of the Lister tubercle and the size of the EPL groove were measured in both groups using computed tomographic scans and compared. Results: There was no difference in the size of the Lister tubercle or the EPL groove between both groups. A 'hook'-shaped Lister tubercle was noted in 8 out of 15 patients with EPL rupture but in only 1 out of 15 matched patients without EPL rupture. Conclusions: A 'hook'-shaped Lister tubercle was seen more often in patients with EPL rupture following distal radius fracture. Level of Evidence: Level III (Therapeutic).