Distal biceps tendon rupture: ten-year experience using suture anchors through a single anterior approach

BACKGROUND: Distal biceps tendon rupture is an uncommon injury involving the dominant arm in middle-aged male population. With this retrospective cohort study, we reported the clinical outcomes of patients treated with tendon reinsertion using suture anchors through a single anterior approach. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients with distal biceps tendon rupture were treated in between 2010 and 2020 and they were evaluated at follow-up considering the recovery of ROM in flexion-extension and pronation-supination and the DASH, MAYO, and OXFORD scores. RESULTS: The ROM recovery shows fine results, with an average of flexion-extension of 135°-5° and pronation-supination 90-85°. The average DASH Score was 1.3; the average MAYO Elbow Score was 98.87 and the OXFORD Elbow Score was 47.8. There were reported four complications: one case of partial re-rupture, two cases of superficial infection, one case of anchor avulsion from bone. We had no cases of nerve palsy, radio-ulnar synostosis, or heterotopic ossifications. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical outcomes obtained by anatomical reinsertion of distal biceps tendon in its anatomical site by means of suture anchors are satisfactory and the single anterior approach can minimize the risk of nerve injury and heterotopic ossifications.