Extensor Mechanism Repair Surgeon
If you play sports, especially contact sports, you may be at risk of injuring your extensor mechanism. The extensor mechanism is an umbrella term that describes the key structures that allow the knee to straighten, or extend. An injury to the extensor mechanism will make it impossible to walk and will need to be repaired. Extensor mechanism surgeon, Doctor Prem Ramkumar, has the experience and expertise in performing extensor mechanism repairs like a ruptured quadriceps tendon or a patellar tendon rupture. He is located in Long Beach and serves patients in Los Angeles, Orange County, and surrounding Southern California areas. Contact Dr. Ramkumar’s office today!
What is the extensor mechanism?
The extensor mechanism is an umbrella term that describes the key structures that allow the knee to straighten, or extend. Typically, this is the quadriceps tendon – which connects the muscles of the hip and thigh to the knee at the patella – or the patellar tendon – which connects the knee at the patella to the muscles of the leg. If either are disrupted, the knee cannot be straightened and significant dysfunction is present. Patients with this condition cannot bear weight or walk without crutches. Dr. Prem Ramkumar, quadriceps tendon tear and patellar tendon tear specialist is located in Long Beach and serves the Los Angeles, Orange County, and surrounding Southern California areas.
How does a tear of the quadriceps tendon or patellar tendon occur?
These tears can usually occur as a result of trauma or sporting activity. The knee will give out and walking will be impossible thereafter. This is treated initially by keeping the leg straight and in a brace until definitive care can be offered.
What is the treatment for extensor mechanism failure?
Tears of the quadriceps tendon or patellar tendon are considered urgent injuries. If you cannot keep your leg straight and elevate it (i.e. perform a straight leg raise), you likely have a complete extensor mechanism failure and will need surgery to repair or reconstruct this. There are partial tears of the quadriceps or patellar tendon where injury does occur but you can still perform a straight leg raise and the extensor mechanism is intact. In this event, surgery may be avoided and rehabilitation is likely to permit full healing. For the complete extensor mechanism failures, surgery within two to three weeks is preferred to get the best outcome.
How is surgery performed for an extensor mechanism failure?
Dr. Ramkumar will fix your quadriceps or patellar tendon by creating tunnels in your patella, passing repair sutures through the torn tendon, and fixing it to the bone. Suture anchors may also be used, but this is not Dr. Ramkumar’s preferred methods.
The recovery time from an extensor mechanism failure – quadriceps tendon tear or patellar tendon tear – takes 4-6 months. A brace will be required for 3 months with progressive range of motion allowed after 6 weeks. You will be off crutches by 2-3 weeks and will need physical therapy.
