Bilateral patellar tendon rupture associated with statin use

Abstract

Patellar tendon rupture is an uncommon clinical presentation, which generally affects the under 40s who are active in sport. Bilateral rupture of both tendons is much rarer. It occurs most frequently in patients with predisposing factors such as corticosteroid use or systemic diseases. The authors present the case of a 56-year-old male on long-term statin therapy who sustained this injury following a fall on ice. He had no known risk factors for tendon rupture. Surgical treatment involved tendon repair using Krakow suture via bony tunnels in the patella. Statins have previously been associated with tendon ruptures at other sites but there have been no published cases of bilateral patellar tendon rupture linked to statin use. We review the literature regarding the association between statins and tendon rupture.

Figure 1:

Left knee showing obvious step and high-riding patella.

Figure 2:

Lateral X-ray left knee showing high-riding patella.

Figure 3:

Operative findings showing complete tendon rupture at the inferior patella pol.

Figure 4:

Krakow suture repair to patellar tendon.

Figure 5:

Post-operative lateral left knee X-ray showing restored patellar height.