Distal Biceps Tendon Repair (Endoscopic technique)

What is it : The distal biceps tendon attaches to one of your bones in your elbow called the radius. You may injure the distal biceps tendon and hear or feel a pop in your elbow. You may have bruising and some pain and weakness and may even have a ‘popeye’ sign of your biceps muscle. An MRI or ultrasound scan can confirm the distal biceps tendon tear.

Management : If left alone you may experience weakness in rotating your hand/forearm out (supination) and also bending your elbow (flexion). The muscle will tend to cramp faster and fatigue quicker. Most people end up with an operation to repair the tendon back to the bone. Our technique we use is an endoscopic footprint distal biceps tendon repair. We use a camera (endoscope) to prepare the bone and tunnels and place the tendon where it originally was. A small suture button is used which sits on the radius bone close to the elbow.

Post-operative : You will be in a sling after your distal biceps tendon repair and it is important to protect the elbow till the tendon heals to the bone. You will be allowed to gently move the elbow out of the sling but any lifting or repetitive moving of the elbow is not allowed in the early days. Physiotherapy is not necessary and it is preferred if you do your rehabilitation at your own pace and comfort.