Single and dual incision technique for acute distal biceps rupture: clinical and functional outcomes

Background: Distal bicep tendon injuries are atraumatic event though rather rare. The pathogenesisis not entirely clear. The most commoncause for injury is an unexpected load on the bicepswhen the elbow is in an extended position.Although several studies have provided insightinto the pathogenetic processes of the lesion, theliterature suggests to treat all injuries surgically(whether partial or total) if there is high functionaldemand.Methods: Between January 2006 and March 2016were studied 20 patients surgically treated for adisconnected distal bicep, 15 with a total lesionand 5 with a partial lesion. The patients were dividedinto 2 groups. Surgical access with singleincision was performed on 13 patients while adouble surgical access, was performed on 7 patients.The clinical and functional results werestudied using an Ewald System Score (ESS).Results: In both groups, the most rapid improvementwas achieved for the parameters of pain anddeformity with excellent results, while those of function and movement were normalized as gradualand progressive over next 2 months.Conclusion: The clinical and functional outcomesduring the follow-up examination after surgeryshowed excellent results in patients treated withboth types of surgical procedures.