Introduction:
Rupture of the deltoid is reported most frequently in elderly patients with associated massive rotator cuff tears [1,2]. Other reported deltoid tears have been documented following open surgical procedures that violate the deltoid muscle fibers [3]. Only a handful of cases have been recorded that involve young active patients who suffered traumatic deltoid tendon ruptures [4-6]. The deltoid originates from the anterior border of the clavicle, acromion and spine of the scapula. Inserting distally at the deltoid tuberosity. Detachment of the deltoid is associated with an acute, sudden onset of shoulder weakness and pain. All of the literature to date describes deltoid detachment from its origin on either the acromion or clavicle [1-6]. There is a paucity of cases described in the literature involving traumatic deltoid ruptures from the humeral insertion site. With the aid of a cadaveric and muscle activation study we postulate a mechanism of injury and discuss our intraoperative findings [7-8]. The aim of our study is to summarize the current literature on deltoid ruptures as well as present a case report and surgical technique.