eMedicine Specialties > Orthopedic Surgery > Hand & Upper Extremity

Bicipital Tendon Injuries: Follow-up

Author: John P Salvo Jr, MD, Assistant Director of Sports Medicine, Cooper Bone and Joint Institute, Cooper University Hospital; Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Nov 2, 2009

Outcome and Prognosis

Excellent results can be obtained with early surgical intervention. Early direct repair of the tendon to the radial tuberosity gives the best opportunity for full functional recovery. Both the 2-incision and the 1-incision techniques provide excellent results. The choice of technique depends on the surgeon's preference.

Delayed repair or reconstruction is more difficult than early treatment. Late repair may result in long-term weakness and loss of motion due to the chronicity of the injury.

Future and Controversies

With early repair, success rates with either the 2-incision or the 1-incision technique are great. The 1-incision technique will continue to advance with the development of better suture anchors. The use of multiple drill holes instead of a high-speed burr to excavate the radial tuberosity should also improve outcomes by decreasing the incidence of synostosis.

 


More on Bicipital Tendon Injuries

Overview: Bicipital Tendon Injuries
Workup: Bicipital Tendon Injuries
Treatment: Bicipital Tendon Injuries
Follow-up: Bicipital Tendon Injuries
Multimedia: Bicipital Tendon Injuries
References
Further Reading
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References

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Further Reading

Related eMedicine topics
Biceps Rupture (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

Biceps Tendinopathy (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

Bicipital Tendonitis (Sports Medicine)

Elbow and Forearm Overuse Injuries (Sports Medicine)

Clinical guidelines
Elbow disorders.

ACR Appropriateness Criteria® chronic elbow pain.

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Keywords

biceps tendon, biceps tendon injury, distal biceps tendon, elbow tendon, bicipital tendonitis, bicipital tear, bicipital injury, elbow pain, elbow deformity, modified Boyd-Anderson incision

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

John P Salvo Jr, MD, Assistant Director of Sports Medicine, Cooper Bone and Joint Institute, Cooper University Hospital; Assistant Professor of Surgery, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
John P Salvo Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Pennsylvania Medical Society, and Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Michael S Clarke, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine
Michael S Clarke, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association for Hand Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, Arthroscopy Association of North America, Clinical Orthopaedic Society, Mid-Central States Orthopaedic Society, and Missouri State Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Thomas R Hunt III, MD, John D Sherrill Professor and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery, Surgeon in Chief of UAB Highlands Hospital, Director of Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship, University of Alabama at Birmingham
Thomas R Hunt III, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association for Hand Surgery, American Orthopaedic Association, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, American Society for Surgery of the Hand, AO Foundation, Mid-America Orthopaedic Association, and Southern Orthopaedic Association
Disclosure: Tornier Consulting fee Review panel membership; Tornier Royalty None; Tornier Ownership interest None

CME Editor

Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS, Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Chief of Arthroscopic Surgery, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dinesh Patel, MD, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, American College of International Physicians, and American College of Surgeons
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Harris Gellman, MD, Consulting Surgeon, Broward Hand Center; Voluntary Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Plastic Surgery, Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine
Harris Gellman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Orthopaedic Association, American Society for Surgery of the Hand, and Arkansas Medical Society
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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