Delayed diagnosis and treatment of a distal patellar tendon avulsion in an adolescent

Abstract

Distal patellar tendon avulsions are uncommon. While much is known about proximal patella tendon ruptures, there are very few reports to guide treatment of a patellar tendon disruption near the tibial tuberosity. Moreover, delayed diagnosis and treatment presents additional challenges. We present a distal patellar tendon avulsion in an adolescent whereby diagnosis and treatment were delayed due to a distracting nearby contaminated wound. The tendon was separated from post-traumatic scar then repaired back to its native footprint using suture anchors. This report aims to increase awareness of this rare diagnosis as well as provide details about our chosen treatment and rehabilitation protocol.