title: Nonoperative management of a partial patellar tendon rupture after bone-patellar tendon-bone graft harvest for ACL reconstruction.
abstract: This is a case report of a young athlete who sustained a partial tear of the patellar tendon after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with a bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft. The injury, diagnostic workup, and decision-making process that lead to the choice of nonsurgical treatment are described. Furthermore, the rehabilitation process is described in detail. The patient returned to his previous level of sports activity and had a good clinical outcome as measured by range of motion, isokinetic quadriceps muscle strength testing, single leg hop testing, and the modified Noyes survey. In the absence of extensor mechanism incompetence or radiographic evidence of significant patella alta, partial ruptures of the patella tendon after ACL reconstruction using a BPTB autograft may be treated nonoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UT-Memphis/Campbell Clinic, Memphis, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Rodney W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Benner
authors.affiliation: Shelbourne Knee Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: K Donald
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Shelbourne
authors.affiliation: Shelbourne Knee Center, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Freeman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D059549:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction / Q000379:methods / Q000534:rehabilitation; D064592:Autografts; D050376:Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Grafting; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D007718:Knee Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000293:injuries*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012421:Rupture / Q000534:rehabilitation