Management of bilateral Achilles tendon rupture associated with ciprofloxacin: A review and case presentation

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are increasingly being recognized as a cause of Achilles tendinitis and rupture. We report the case of a 62-year old man who developed bilateral Achilles tendon rupture six days following commencement of ciprofloxacin. Tendon exploration and repair was accomplished with the use of a prosthetic substitute (Leeds-Keio ligament) but heating was complicated by left wound breakdown that was successfully repaired with a perforator-based fasciocutaneous flap. A review of the current literature on fluoroquinolone associated achilles ruptures and the various methods of tendon and soft tissue management of the primary or complicated injuries are discussed. (C) 2007 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.