Spontaneous Ruptured Extensor Pollicis Longus (EPL) Tendon in Poultry Farm’s Worker: Case Report

Abstract

A 38-year-old male, right-handed man, presented with abruptly inability to extend his right thumb for 20 days, his symptoms occurred while he was releasing chains in the chain feeder system. He was diagnosed with spontaneous ruptured extensor pollicis longus (EPL) of right hand. Tendon and underwent Extensor Pollicis Longus Repair with Palmaris Longus Tendon (PL) Graft. The patient had been worked in Poultry farm for 7 years, his tasks have excessive motion of wrists and thumbs, especially the tasks in manipulating the chain feeder system. He had no history of hand and wrist trauma or fracture, no other predisposing factors such as steroid injection, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or other underlying diseases. From literature review, spontaneous ruptured EPL is rare, especially in patients without predisposing factors. There have been several case reports in people with excessive hand motion. There was no case report in poultry farm, so we report the case of spontaneous ruptured extensor pollicis longus (EPL) to raise the concern about the possibility of disease occurring from hazards in job tasks.