Biomaterial Database

Patellar tendon rupture with underlying systemic lupus erythematosus: a case report. 2012

Michael Lu, and Sandeep Johar, and Kenneth Veenema, and John Goldblatt

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.

BACKGROUND There have been few case reports of patellar tendon rupture in patients with underlying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). OBJECTIVE We present a unique case to discuss the importance of recognizing patellar tendon rupture in the emergency department (ED). METHODS An 18-year-old man with SLE presented to the ED with pain, swelling, and inability to extend his left knee after a fall. Physical examination demonstrated a palpable defect over the patellar tendon, and plain radiographs showed patella alta. Patellar tendon rupture was diagnosed, and the patient underwent open surgical repair. CONCLUSIONS In low-energy patellar tendon rupture, the effects of the pathophysiology and the treatment for SLE, which includes systemic corticosteroids, are currently unclear. However, it is important to establish prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment in the ED to maximize recovery and minimize long-term disability.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007592	Joint Diseases	Diseases involving the JOINTS.	Arthropathies,Arthropathy,Joint Disease
D008180	Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic	A chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, and often febrile multisystemic disorder of connective tissue, characterized principally by involvement of the skin, joints, kidneys, and serosal membranes. It is of unknown etiology, but is thought to represent a failure of the regulatory mechanisms of the autoimmune system. The disease is marked by a wide range of system dysfunctions, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and the formation of LE cells in the blood or bone marrow.	Libman-Sacks Disease,Lupus Erythematosus Disseminatus,Systemic Lupus Erythematosus,Disease, Libman-Sacks,Libman Sacks Disease
D008297	Male		Males
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D012422	Rupture, Spontaneous	Tear or break of an organ, vessel or other soft part of the body, occurring in the absence of external force.	Ruptures, Spontaneous,Spontaneous Rupture,Spontaneous Ruptures
D017847	Patellar Ligament	A band of fibrous tissue that attaches the apex of the PATELLA to the lower part of the tubercle of the TIBIA. The ligament is actually the caudal continuation of the common tendon of the QUADRICEPS FEMORIS. The patella is embedded in that tendon. As such, the patellar ligament can be thought of as connecting the quadriceps femoris tendon to the tibia, and therefore it is sometimes called the patellar tendon.	Ligamentum Patellae,Patellar Tendon,Patella Tendon,Ligament, Patellar,Ligaments, Patellar,Patella Tendons,Patellar Ligaments,Patellar Tendons,Tendon, Patella,Tendon, Patellar,Tendons, Patella,Tendons, Patellar