Ruptured EPL Tendon due to Gout
Title: Spontaneous rupture of extensor pollicis
longus tendon with tophaceous gout infiltration
Authors: Hung JY, et al.
Publication: Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2005 May;125(4):281-4.
Epub 2004 Jun 15.
Spontaneous rupture of the extensor pollicis longus (EPL) tendon
has many causes, but rupture caused by gout is very rare. In this
article, the authors presented a case of patients with long-standing
history of gout that came in with a sudden loss of left thumb
movement. It turns out that this was caused by spontaneous rupture
of the EPL tendon in the thumb, which was then successfully treated
by surgery.
It was then discovered that there were uric acid (urate) crystal
deposits within the ruptured EPL tendon.
