Operative Management of Acute Triceps Tendon Ruptures: Review of 184 Cases. Issue 6 (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mirzayan, Raffy; Acevedo, Daniel C.; Sodl, Jeffrey F.; Yian, Edward H.; Navarro, Ronald A.; Anakwenze, Oke; Singh, Anshuman
• Is Part Of: American journal of sports medicine. Volume 46:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 1451
• Page End: 1458
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: triceps tear -- triceps rupture -- triceps repair -- bone tunnel -- transosseous -- anchor -- acute injury; Sports medicine -- Periodicals; Sports injuries -- Periodicals; Orthopedic surgery -- Periodicals; 617.102705
• DOI: 10.1177/0363546518757426
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-5465

Abstract

Background: Distal triceps tendon ruptures are rare. The authors present a series of 184 surgically treated, acute, traumatic triceps tendon avulsions and compare the complications between those treated with anchors (A) versus transosseous (TO) suture repair. Hypothesis: No difference exists in the retear rate between TO and A repairs. Study Designed: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: All patients who underwent an open primary repair of a traumatic triceps tendon avulsion within 90 days of injury, between 2007 and 2015, were retrospectively reviewed. Surgeries were performed within a multisurgeon (75 surgeons), multicenter (14 centers), community-based integrated health care system. Patient demographic information, type of repair, complications, and time from surgery to release from medical care were recorded. Results: 184 triceps tears in 181 patients met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 49 years (range, 15-83 years). There were 169 males. The most common mechanisms of injury were fall (56.5%) and weight lifting (19%). Mean time from injury to surgery was 19 days (range, 1-90 days); in 74.5% of cases, surgery was performed in 3 weeks or less. There were 105 TO and 73 A repairs. No significant difference was found between the two groups in the mean age ( P = .18), sex ( P = .51), completeness of tears ( P = .74), tourniquet time ( P = .455), and prevalence of smokers ( P = .64). Significant differences were noted between TO and A repairs in terms of reruptures (6.7% vs 0%, respectively; P = .0244), overall reoperation rate (9.5% vs 1.4%; P = .026), and release from medical care (4.3 vs 3.4 months; P = .0014), but no difference was seen in infection rate (3.8% vs 0%; P = .092). No difference was noted in release from medical care in patients who underwent surgery 3 weeks or less after injury compared with those undergoing surgery more than 3 weeks after injury (3.90 vs 4.09 months, respectively; P = .911). Conclusion: Primary repair of triceps ruptures with TO fixation has a significantly higher rerupture rate, higher reoperation rate, and longer release from medical care than does repair with A fixation. Implementation of suture anchors in triceps repairs offers a lower complication rate and earlier release from medical care.