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Case Reports: Unusual presentation of more common disease/injury
Bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture: two injuries 6 years apart
  1. Jean-Marc Street1,2,
  2. Raakesh Goalan2 and
  3. Anil Kumar2
  1. 1College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Division of Clinical and Surgical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
  2. 2Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Compound, Champs Fleurs, Trinidad and Tobago
  1. Correspondence to Dr Jean-Marc Street; jeanmarcstreet{at}gmail.com

Abstract

We present a case of a fit man in his 50s, with simultaneous bilateral quadriceps tendon repair of injuries sustained 6 years apart. Spontaneous closed ruptures of the quadriceps tendon are uncommon. Clinical data of a single case of bilateral quadriceps tendon injury with simultaneous repair was gathered via the patient, notes and surgeon. Diagnosis was primarily based on history and clinical examination. Suggestive features on the plain radiographic imaging were also present. Confirmation was attempted using ultrasonography but yielded conflicting reports. The patient was screened for any associated predisposing conditions that would preclude surgical intervention or increase risk of recurrence. Repairs were accomplished by employing a combination of suture anchors and transpatellar cerclage reinforcement. Apposition of the tendon to the superior patellar pole was successful although with decreased passive flexion on the neglected side (approximately 30°) compared with the acute (approximately 90°). Follow-up continues with postoperative rehabilitation.

  • Tendon rupture
  • Physiotherapy (sports medicine)
  • Orthopaedics

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-254759

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors J-MS and RG were responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content. AK gave final approval of the manuscript. J-MS: collection of patient data (history, examination, surgical notes, and follow-up); designed and typed the first draft manuscript, including title, abstract and other subheadings; typed final manuscript after corrections made by other authors; did literature search (bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture); analysis of data; contributed to 100% of initial references; photographer of illustrations; analysis of data. RG: decided which photos to include in the final manuscript; designed legend and text for illustrations; corrections to the first draft manuscript; contributed to literature search (bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture). AK: corrections to the first draft manuscript; reviewed final manuscript; designed research question (if any cases of quadriceps tendon repair were done in a patient with two separate injuries simultaneously); supervised manuscript design; recommendations of which references to be used in the study.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.