Quadriceps tendon ruptures: Evaluation and treatment

Objectives: We evaluated the patients who underwent surgical repair for rupture of the quadriceps tendon. Methods: Five patients (4 men, 1 woman; mean age 56 years; range 33 to 77 years) had rupture of the quadriceps tendon at the osteotendinous junction. One patient had bilat¬eral rupture. Etiology was a traffic accident in one patient, and fall from height in two patients. Two patients who were on dialysis treatment developed simultaneous bilateral rup¬ture. Ruptures were repaired with heavy, nonabsorbable sutures placed in transosseous tunnels in the patella. The mean follow-up was two years (range 1 to 5 years). Results: Complete healing was seen in all the patients within six months. The mean range of motion was 0 to 119 degrees. Muscle atrophy was not detected. Muscle strength was equal on both sides. None of the patients complained of patellofemoral pain. Conclusion: Ruptures of the quadriceps tendon can be suc¬cessfully managed through early diagnosis and surgical treatment. It should be recalled that concomitant diseases may predispose to ruptures in cases above 40 years of age.