Quadriceps tendon rupture
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Gaillard F, Sharma R, Nicoletti D, et al. Quadriceps tendon rupture. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 08 Mar 2025) https://radiopaedia.org/articles/1945
DOI:
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rID:
1945
Article created:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Rohit Sharma had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Rohit Sharma's current disclosures
Revisions:
17 times, by
14 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Synonyms:
- Rupture of quadriceps tendon
- Rupture of the quadriceps tendon
- Quadriceps tendon ruptures
Quadriceps tendon rupture is usually associated with forced flexion of the knee or a direct blow, although spontaneous ruptures are reported.
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Pathology
Predisposing illnesses include:
-
connective tissue disorders
renal impairment
corticosteroid use
complication of total knee arthroplasty (very rare) 6
Quadriceps tendon rupture is one of the extensor mechanism of knee injuries, more common than patellar tendon rupture but less common than patellar fractures.
Location
Most ruptures are thought to occur at or around the osseotendinous junction at the superior pole of the patella 4.
Treatment and prognosis
complete ruptures of the quadriceps tendon are treated surgically with transosseous sutures passed through longitudinal patellar drill holes 8
partial ruptures may be treated conservatively depending on the extent of the rupture 7
See also
References
- 1. Barasch E, Lombardi LJ, Arena L et-al. MRI visualization of bilateral quadriceps tendon rupture in a patient with secondary hyperparathyroidism: implications for diagnosis and therapy. Comput Med Imaging Graph. 13 (5): 407-10. - Pubmed citation
- 2. Calvo E, Ferrer A, Robledo AG et-al. Bilateral simultaneous spontaneous quadriceps tendons rupture. A case report studied by magnetic resonance imaging. Clin Imaging. 21 (1): 73-6. Clin Imaging (link) - Pubmed citation
- 3. Goelitz BW, Lomasney LM, Demos TC. Radiologic case study. Quadriceps tendon rupture. Orthopedics. 2004;27 (8): 790, 872-5. - Pubmed citation
- 4. Yu JS, Petersilge C, Sartoris DJ et-al. MR imaging of injuries of the extensor mechanism of the knee. Radiographics. 1994;14 (3): 541-51. Radiographics (citation) - Pubmed citation
- 5. Sonin AH, Fitzgerald SW, Bresler ME et-al. MR imaging appearance of the extensor mechanism of the knee: functional anatomy and injury patterns. Radiographics. 1995;15 (2): 367-82. Radiographics (citation) - Pubmed citation
- 6. Soong J, Silva A, Andrew T. Disruption of Quadriceps Tendon After Total Knee Arthroplasty: Case Report of Four Cases. Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery. 2017;25(2):230949901771720. doi:10.1177/2309499017717206 - Pubmed
- 7. Tsioupros A, Chaniotakis C, Genetzakis V, Tsatsoulas C, Stavrakakis I. Quadriceps Tendon Delamination Tear: A Case Report. Cureus. 2023;15(10):e48061. doi:10.7759/cureus.48061 - Pubmed
- 8. Arnold E, Sedgewick J, Wortman R, Stamm M, Mulcahey M. Acute Quadriceps Tendon Rupture: Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management. JBJS Rev. 2022;10(2). doi:10.2106/JBJS.RVW.21.00171 - Pubmed
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Quadriceps tendinopathy
- Anterior knee pain
- Patellar sleeve fracture
- Ultrasound of the knee
- Quadriceps injury
- Total knee arthroplasty
- Musculoskeletal curriculum
- Extensor mechanism of the knee injuries
- Patellar tendon rupture
- Lesions of the prepatellar quadriceps continuation
- Tendon rupture
- MRI of the knee (an approach)
Cases:
- Quadriceps tendon partial tear
- Partial rupture of the quadriceps tendon
- Quadriceps tendon tear
- Quadriceps tendon rupture post total knee replacement
- Quadriceps tendon partial tear
- Suture anchors - quadriceps tendon reimplantation
- Quadriceps tendon insertion rupture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Rectus femoris tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon partial tear
- Patellar comminuted fracture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon avulsion
- Traumatic quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon tear
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
- Quadriceps tendon rupture
Related articles: Knee pathology
The knee is a complex synovial joint that can be affected by a range of pathologies:
- bone and cartilage
-
knee fractures
- distal femoral condyle fracture
- tibial plateau fracture (classification)
- patella fracture
-
avulsion fractures of the knee
- arcuate complex avulsion fracture (arcuate sign)
- anterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
- biceps femoris avulsion fracture
- iliotibial band avulsion fracture
- quadriceps tendon avulsion fracture
- patellar sleeve fracture
- posterior cruciate ligament avulsion fracture
- reverse Segond fracture
- Segond fracture
- semimembranosus tendon avulsion fracture
- Stieda fracture chronic avulsion injuries
- dislocation
- chondromalacia patellae
- osteoarthritis of the knee
- osteochondral
- patterns of bone bruise in knee injury
-
knee fractures
- ligaments
- anterior cruciate ligament tear
- anterior cruciate ligament ganglion cyst
- anterior cruciate ligament mucoid degeneration
- posterior cruciate ligament tear
- medial collateral ligament tear
- lateral collateral ligament tear
- medial patellofemoral ligament tear
- posterolateral corner injury
- posteromedial corner injury
- tendons
- meniscal lesions
- bursosynovial lesions
- fat pad
- popliteal fossa
- fascia
- alignment
- knee
- patellofemoral
- gamut
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