DISTAL TRICEPS AVULSION: A CASE REPORT

Triceps rupture is an uncommon injury. Fracture of olecranon or a dislocation/fracture is most often common injury for similar mechanism of fall. It is commonly associated with anabolic steroid use, weight lifting, and direct laceration. Risk factors include local steroid injection, olecranon bursitis, and hyperparathyroidism. Distal triceps rupture is usually caused by a fall on an outstretched hand. Eccentric loading of a contracting triceps has been implicated. Initial diagnosis may be difficult because a palpable defect is not always present. Pain and swelling may limit the ability to evaluate strength and elbow range of motion. Although plain radiographs are helpful in ruling out other elbow pathology, MRI is used to confirm the diagnosis, classify the injury, and plan management. Incomplete tears with active elbow extension against resistance are managed non-surgically. Surgical repair is indicated in active persons with complete tears and for incomplete tears with concomitant loss of strength. Good to excellent results have been reported with surgical repair in triceps, even for chronic tears. BACKGROUND: Distal triceps tendon avulsions occur very infrequently, and the diagnosis is often missed when the injury is acute. The literature provides little guidance regarding treatment or the outcome of these injuries. The goal of this report was to report our experience with the diagnosis, timing and technique of surgical treatment, and outcome of treatment of distal triceps tendon rupture.