A Rare but Preventable Injury: Surgical Management of Traumatic Achilles Tendon Tear Caused by Glass-coated Kite String (Chinese Manja) in a Child – A Case Report
Case Report | Volume 12 | Issue 2 | May-August 2026 | Page: 40-43 | Amandeep, Umesh Meena, Varun Goyal, Ranadeep Ghosh
DOI- https://doi.org/10.13107/ijpo.2026.v12.i02.280
Open Access License: CC BY-NC 4.0
Copyright Statement: Copyright © 2026; The Author(s).
Submitted: 27/03/2026; Reviewed: 21/04/2026; Accepted: 09/06/2026; Published: 10/08/2026
Authors: Amandeep [1], Umesh Meena [1], Varun Goyal [1], Ranadeep Ghosh [1]
[1] Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, RK Puram, Kota, Rajasthan, India.
Address of Correspondence
Dr. Ranadeep Ghosh,
Department of Orthopaedics, Government Medical College, RK Puram, Kota Rajasthan, India.
E-mail: ranadeepghosh9@gmail.com
Abstract
Introduction: Acute traumatic Achilles tendon tear is very uncommon in the pediatric population. This injury is particularly important in the current era due to the increasing and widespread use of glass-coated kite strings (manja). The Achilles tendon lies superficially with minimal soft-tissue protection, making it particularly vulnerable to sharp kite string injuries. This case highlights the rarity of this injury pattern, an emerging and preventable cause of trauma in developing countries, and its effective surgical management.
Case Report: We report the case of a 12-year-old male who sustained a traumatic distal Achilles tendon laceration near its insertion after a glass-coated kite string became entangled around his ankle while running. This resulted in a deep wound over the Achilles tendon with complete transection. The patient was successfully treated with primary tendon repair using non-absorbable sutures with the Krackow technique following thorough wound irrigation and debridement.
Conclusion: Traumatic Achilles tendon laceration caused by kite string injury is a rare but preventable serious condition. Early recognition and timely surgical intervention are crucial. Primary repair using non-absorbable sutures with the Krackow technique provides strong tendon approximation, promotes early healing, and effectively restores tendon continuity when combined with meticulous wound irrigation and debridement.
Keywords: Traumatic tendoachilles, paediatrics.
References
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| How to Cite this Article: Amandeep, Meena U, Goyal V, Ghosh R | A Rare but Preventable Injury: Surgical Management of Traumatic Achilles Tendon Tear Caused by Glass-coated Kite String (Chinese Manja) in a Child – A Case Report | International Journal of Paediatric Orthopaedics | May-August 2026; 12(2): 40-43. |
