Fracture of the Radial Styloid and Concomitant First Dorsal Compartment Musculotendinous Injuries

In the absence of preexisting inflammatory conditions, pure traumatic rupture of the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) and abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendons are rare injuries. We present a report of 2 cases of extensor tendon ruptures at the musculotendinous junction occurring after concomitant fractures of the radial styloid in patients who were involved in high-energy trauma. The presence of a radial styloid fracture should raise suspicion for a greater spectrum of injury that can contribute to multidirectional instability. The spectrum might even include proximal damage to the EPB and APL tendons. Although the associated tendon injuries might or might not contribute to functional loss, their presence should be noted when evaluating a patient with this injury pattern.