Flexor Tendon Rupture After a Cat Bite - A Case Report of An Uncommon Sequela

Cat bites are a remarkably common injury seen in the emergency department setting . Due to the morphology of feline teeth and anatomy of the human hand, seemingly innocuous surface bites can seed infections in deeper structures of the hand that can result in adverse outcomes. We report on a case of a rare complication of a flexor tendon rupture that occurred well after the initial treatment of a superficial infection.

A healthy 61 year old male presented to the emergency department with concerns for possible infection after sustaining a cat bite to the proximal phalanx of his left long finger 48 hours earlier. The patient was treated for suspected cellulitis and underwent irrigation and debridement within 36 hours. Five months after presentation, it was determined that the patient had suffered a spontaneous rupture of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon of the left long finger. The patient underwent surgical debridement, flexor tendon tenolysis, and tendon reconstruction. Postoperatively, the patient returned to normal activities with good function of his left hand after a course of occupational therapy.

The purpose of this case report is to describe the clinical course of a patient with the rare complication of a flexor tendon rupture after being bitten by a cat, as well as to review the current literature and treatment for feline bite-related hand injuries. We recommend patients who have sustained a cat bite with a suspected infection to present as early as possible for an evaluation by a medical professional, early appropriate empiric antibiotic administration, and early surgical debridement when warranted to help prevent complications.