Spontaneous Rupture of the Extensor Pollicis Longus Tendon in a Rhythm Gamer: A Case Report

Seokwon Yang; Sung-Hyun Yoon; Sung-Hyun Kim; Soon-Min Kwon; Jong-Pil Kim

doi:10.12790/ahm.2019.24.1.63

Journal List > Arch Hand Microsurg > v.24(1) > 1117304

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Yang, Yoon, Kim, Kwon, and Kim: Spontaneous Rupture of the Extensor Pollicis Longus Tendon in a Rhythm Gamer: A Case Report

Hand

Archives of Hand and Microsurgery 2019; 24(1): 63-67.

Published online: 28 February 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.12790/ahm.2019.24.1.63

Spontaneous Rupture of the Extensor Pollicis Longus Tendon in a Rhythm Gamer: A Case Report

Seokwon Yang, Sung-Hyun Yoon, Sung-Hyun Kim, Soon-Min Kwon, Jong-Pil Kim

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Korea.

Corresponding author: Jong-Pil Kim. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Dankook University College of Medicine, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan 31116, Korea. TEL: +82-41-550-6579, FAX: +82-41-556-0551, kimjp@dankook.ac.kr

Received 14 December 2018 Revised 4 January 2019 Accepted 7 January 2019

Korean Society for Surgery of the Hand, Korean Society for Microsurgery, and Korean Society for Surgery of the Peripheral Nerve

(open-access):

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Abstract

Spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon can occur in the 3rd extensor compartment after a distal radius fracture involving Lister's tubercle, steroid injections, or rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of spontaneous rupture of the EPL tendon in a 26-year-old male patient who played a rhythm game, which requires repetitive wrist motions to play the drums. We also provide a comprehensive literature review along with the case report. From the authors' point of view, excessive and repetitive motion of the wrist, as shown in our case, can be a potential cause of spontaneous rupture of the EPL tendon.

Keywords: Extensor pollicis longus, Spontaneous rupture, Tendon graft

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

A rhythm game which is called as GITADORA.

Fig. 2

Simple radiographs of the left thumb in a 26-year-old male patient. He couldn't make extension of his left thumb.

Fig. 3

Axial T2 magnetic resonance imaging images. (A) Note absence of the tendon in 3rd extensor compartment around wrist joint (arrow). (B) Note synovial fluid collection in 2nd extensor compartment tendon sheath (arrowheads).

Fig. 4

Intra-operative findings. (A) Note attrition at the ECRB (arrow) and a EPL rupture (asterisks). (B) A EPL tendon reconstruction using palmaris longus tendon graft was performed. ECRB: extensor carpi radialis brevis, ECRL: extensor carpi radialis longus, EPL: extensor pollicis longus.

Notes

^{CONFLICTS OF INTEREST} The authors have nothing to disclose.

References

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