Closed Flexor Tendon Avulsions Associated With a Distal Radius Fracture: A Case Report

Flexor tendon injuries have been reported in association with distal radius fractures. These are usually chronic in nature, and acute flexor tendon injuries are rare. When these do occur, they tend to be at the level of the fracture and are thought to be caused by direct laceration from the sharp bone edges of the fracture site. There are no reports of injuries more proximal to the fracture site at the musculotendinous junction. We present a patient who sustained a distal radius fracture with associated complete avulsions of the flexor digitorum superficialis tendons to the middle and ring fingers at the musculotendinous junction. This case demonstrates an unusual mechanism of injury to the flexor tendons and the importance of a comprehensive clinical assessment in high-energy distal radius fractures to ensure that this injury is recognised even when the flexor tendons at the level of the fracture appear to be in continuity.