Dr Warren Matthee

22/06/2026

30/03/2026

Last year I was confronted with an extremely rare injury - only a few cases reported in medical literature! A friend of mine was moving a heavy bed and injured both arms - sustaining BILATERAL distal biceps tendon ruptures 🤯. These injuries are fairly common, but to injure both arms at the same time is exceedingly rare.

The tendon pulls off the bone in the forearm (radius) and the biceps muscle becomes shortened, and looks like a ball especially when contracted - this gives the appearance of “Popeye” arms. In healthy, active people repair is usually recommended as this injury results in weakness of flexion and more importantly supination (a twisting movement e.g. using a screwdriver, turning a doorknob etc.).

One of the biggest problems with a distal biceps tendon tear is delayed or missed diagnosis as surgery to repair the tear must be done within 4 weeks for the best results - after 6 weeks a repair may not be possible. Fortunately he saw me within hours of the injury and the surgery could be scheduled for the following day.

Another issue is the post-op protocol - the arm is splinted for the first 10 days and can’t be used for much - so fixing both arms at the same time would make life miserable for my friend and his spouse 👀. I decided to stage the procedures - the right arm was fixed first, and ten days later the splint was removed and exchanged for an elbow ROM brace which allowed for initiation of movement. A few days later the left arm was fixed in the same manner. The ROM braces were worn on both arms for six weeks in total, allowing a gradual increase in movement.

With time his flexion and supination power will be restored. In addition the “Popeye” arms are now gone and his normal biceps contour has been restored. The surgery is not typically done with the main aim of improving cosmesis, although it should be noted that this injury often occurs in body builders, for whom restoration of a normal biceps contour is extremely important. 💪🏻💪🏻

26/03/2026

My week was absolutely made when I received this letter of appreciation from a gentlemen for whom I did a total knee replacement two years ago. All he wanted was to get back to what he loves most..skiing:

“Good afternoon, Warren.

We have just returned from three weeks in Italy. Apart from the culture vuturing in Parma, Bologna, Florence, Lucca and Pisa, many of which required very long climbs up bell towers and church domes, we started with ten days’ skiing in the Italian Alps.

After only managing four days last year before Covid got me, this was a real treat. I skiied hard all day, especially the last two, when I skiied with a Greek Cypriot who had competed in the downhill at the Junior World Championships some years ago. As you can probably imagine, this involved fast and long runs. On one occasion I exceeded 90Kph (he hit over 100Kph!). An app told us that we actually skiied over 75 Kms on both the last two days.

I attach a video from earlier in the trip, when I skiied with the Ski Club of Great Britain. Slightly more gentle stuff, but video always makes the skier looks much slower than is the case. You are welcome to use it if you like.

Both legs performed really well. The new knee (two years old now) was very strong and only had a little stiffness on occasions. So, I remain absolutely delighted.

We have already booked for the next season. This time in January.

Hope all is good for you.

Kind regards,
R”

25/07/2025

Impromptu lunch with mom, boss and sister

14/04/2025

I was left speechless and filled with emotion at the most thoughtful early birthday gift inreceived from my very good friend, , musical director of the world famous Ndlovu Youth Choir.

Ralf secreted away my beloved stethoscope to his bead whisperer in Limpopo, gogo Sara Masango, responsible for all the Choir’s beadwork, for a stethoscope makeover…Ndlovu style!!! And what a beautiful job she did - like the Bible’s Joseph and his coat of many colours, my beautiful stethoscope is the now the envy of all his jealous brothers!!!

One of the most exciting days in a 4th year medical student’s life is the day he or she gets his stethoscope. We could not afford the more fancy Littmann Cardiology, and I am deeply ashamed to tell you that when I was gifted the cheaper alternative by my parents, I refused to even take it out the box.

My burgundy Littmann Classic II has since borne the stains of the blood from gunshot victims at Baragwanath Hospital’s Surgical “pit” and Joburg Gen’s area 163. It has clung to my neck in the corridors of Tygerberg and Sebokeng Hospitals. It has wandered the lonely corridors with me at 3 am in Bath’s Royal United Hospital in England and the Royal Gwent hospital in Wales. We have travelled a long road together.

It now rests in grateful retirement in my rooms - orthopaedic surgeons rarely use stethoscopes - and when I look at it I am reminded of the incredible sacrifices my parents made to put me through medical school and I wish I had expressed my gratitude to them properly at the time. As a parent myself now, I understand, and I work not for myself, but to help my kids have the best future possible.

Love you mom and dad ❤️

Ps - in case you are wondering, the number “4067” is my race number with which I have completed six Comrades Marathons 🥲

Thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻