title: Rupture of the flexor pollicis longus tendon after 30 years due to migration of a retained foreign body.
abstract: Delayed rupture of a flexor tendon in the hand due to the presence of a retained foreign body is rare. We present the case of a late flexor pollicis longus rupture 30 years after traumatic implantation of a glass fragment. The foreign body had migrated distally a distance of 4.5 cm from the site of the original injury and eroded into the flexor tendon sheath. Thumb function was restored with a flexor digitorum superficialis tendon transfer from the ring finger with excellent results.
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Service, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Bear
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Weiland
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012421:Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013933:Thumb; D013997:Time Factors; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000150:complications*