Rupture of flexor pollicis longus tendon A COMPLICATION OF VOLAR PLATING OF THE DISTAL RADIUS

We report three complete ruptures and one partialrupture of the flexor pollicis longus tendon in association with the insertion of a volar plate for the treatment of fracture of the distal radius. Rupture was associated with the chronic use of steroids. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 1998;80-B:225-6. The internal fixation of fractures of the distal radius can lead to complications related to the implants although there have been few reports in the literature.1 We describe three instances of rupture and one of impending rupture of the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendon caused by attrition from a volar buttress plate. Case Reports Case 1. A 65-year-old woman tripped and fell on to her outstretched left arm sustaining an intra-articular fracture of the left distal radius and ulna. Her past medical histor