Distal Biceps Tendon Repair: An Analysis of Timing of Surgery on Outcomes

Context: Surgical repair of the ruptured distal biceps brachaii tendon is an effective treatment in injured patients. Timing of surgery is considered an important factor when managing these patients. Objective: To compare our outcomes after distal biceps tendon acute (at 4 weeks or less) or chronic (greater than 4 weeks) repair. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Clinical practice. Patients or Other Participants: Of 18 patients in a tertiary practice who underwent distal biceps repair, 12 and 6 underwent acute or chronic repair, respectively. The average durations from injury to surgery were 15.3 (range, 9 to 25) and 50.1 (range, 29 to 75) days for the acute and chronic groups, respectively. Intervention(s): Distal biceps tendon repair. Main Outcome Measure(s): Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scoring, range of motion, and clinical and radiographic complications. Results: No differences were noted between the groups in DASH scoring or range of motion. No complications occurred, and radiographic outcomes were satisfactory, without evidence of heterotopic ossification in any patients. Conclusions: Secure repair of a distal biceps tendon injury may yield similar results, whether it is performed in the acute or chronic setting.