Flexor Tendon Injuries in Children

1994 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 696-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. O. GROBBELAAR ◽  
D. A. HUDSON

Flexor tendon injuries in adults differ from those in children. 38 children (22 male and 16 female) with a mean age of 6.7 years were treated for flexor tendon injuries by primary suture and controlled mobilization between 1985 and 1992. 53 flexor tendons were injured (average 1.5 digits per patient) and the injury most commonly affected the little finger (23 patients). 60% of injuries occurred in zone 2. Using Lister’s criteria, 82% achieved excellent or good results. Repair of both FDS and FDP was better than repair of FDP alone, even in zone 2. There were three tendon ruptures (all classified as poor results) and one other poor result occurred in a zone 2 injury with an associated ulnar nerve palsy. The outcome after flexor tendon repair in children is better than in adults in our hands because rapid healing of tendons occurs in children. No child has yet required tenolysis because in children adhesions are more pliable. Both flexor tendons should be repaired irrespective of the zone of injury. A functional hand can be expected after flexor tendon repair in children.

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Al-Qattan

This review aims to highlight the differences in the management of flexor tendon injuries between children and adults. These include differences in epidemiology, anatomy, classification, diagnosis, incisions and skin closure, the size of the flexor tendons, technical aspects of zones I and II repairs, core suture purchase length, rehabilitation, results, and complications of primary flexor tendon repair. Finally, one- versus two-stage flexor tendon reconstruction in children is reviewed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad M. Al-Qattan

There is a paucity of the literature on the outcome of zone III flexor tendon injuries. In this paper, we report on the results of zone III flexor tendon repair in 35 consecutive adult patients with clean cut lacerations of both flexor tendons in 42 fingers. There were 25 men and 10 women with an average age of 32 years. Repair of both flexor tendons was performed using ‘figure of eight’ core sutures and a continuous epitendinous suture. Postoperatively, an immediate active range of motion protocol was applied to ensure full active extension of the interphalangeal joints. The results were assessed using the Strickland–Glogovac grading system. There were no ruptures. One patient with two injured fingers developed complex regional pain syndrome and the final outcome was fair in both fingers. In the remaining 34 patients (40 fingers), 33 patients (38 fingers) had an excellent outcome and the remaining patient (two fingers) had a good outcome.


1989 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 392-395
Author(s):  
K. W. CULLEN ◽  
PAMELA TOLHURST ◽  
D. LANG ◽  
R. E. PAGE

Over a two-year-period, 34 adult patients who had suffered zone two flexor tendon injuries to 38 fingers (70 tendons) were managed post-operatively by a regime of early active mobilisation. The results of this technique, assessed by the Strickland criteria after a mean follow-up period of 10.2 months, compared favourably with other more cumbersome methods.


2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Griffin ◽  
S Hindocha ◽  
D Jordan ◽  
M Saleh ◽  
W Khan

Flexor tendon injuries still remain a challenging condition to manage to ensure optimal outcome for the patient. Since the first flexor tendon repair was described by Kirchmayr in 1917, several approaches to flexor tendon injury have enabled successful repairs rates of 70-90%. Primary surgical repair results in better functional outcome compared to secondary repair or tendon graft surgery. Flexor tendon injury repair has been extensively researched and the literature demonstrates successful repair requires minimal gapping at the repair site or interference with tendon vascularity, secure suture knots, smooth junction of tendon end and having sufficient strength for healing. However, the exact surgical approach to achieve success being currently used among surgeons is still controversial. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the results of studies demonstrating the current knowledge regarding the optimal approach for flexor tendon repair. Post-operative rehabilitation for flexor tendon surgery is another area, which has caused extensive debate in hand surgery. The trend to more active mobilisation protocols seems to be favoured but further study in this area is needed to find the protocol, which achieves function and gliding but avoids rupture of the tendons. Lastly despite success following surgery complications commonly still occur post surgery, including adhesion formation, tendon rupture and stiffness of the joints. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the appropriate management of these difficulties post surgery. New techniques in management of flexor tendon will also be discussed including external laser devices, addition of growth factors and cytokines.


Hand Surgery ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 07 (01) ◽  
pp. 101-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Ewing Fess

Frequently used zone 2 flexor tendon repair splints are reviewed and classified according to the Amercian Society of Hand Therapists' Splint Classification System. These splints both restrict and mobilise digital motion and fall into two main groups: (1) splints that incorporate the wrist and digital joints as primary joints to allow predetermined increments of early passive or active motion at both the wrist and digital joints; and (2) splints that include the wrist as a secondary joint and the digital joints as primary joints, allowing early passive or active motion at digital joints but not at the wrist.


2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Żyluk ◽  
Bernard Piotuch

This study covers updated information on the methods of the repair of flexor tendon injuries, postoperative rehabilitation protocols and their effect on treatment outcomes. Contemporary techniques of flexor tendon repair are based on combinations of various types of core sutures and circumferential epitenon sutures. Literature shows a tendency of replacing earlier 2-strand core tendon sutures with novel multistrand core sutures, however the results of meta-analyses do not confirm any definitive superiority over traditional techniques. Likewise, literature does not provide conclusive evidence that early active postoperative mobilization results in better outcomes than active-passive and controlled passive mobilization techniques. The choice of the method of flexor tendon repair and postoperative rehabilitation protocol depends only in part on scientific evidence, but more on individual or institutional preference of the surgeon.


1989 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 383-391
Author(s):  
J. O. SMALL ◽  
M. D. BRENNEN ◽  
J. COLVILLE

In a prospective study, 114 patients with 138 zone 2 flexor tendon injuries were treated over a three-year period. Early active mobilisation of the injured fingers was commenced within 48 hours of surgery. 98 patients (86%) were reviewed at least six months after operation. Using the grading system recommended by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, the active range of motion recovered was graded excellent or good in 77% of digits, fair in 14% and poor in 9%. Dehisence of the repair occurred in 11 digits (9.4%) and in these an immediate re-repair followed by a similar programme of early active mobilisation resulted in an excellent or good outcome in seven digits.


QJM ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 114 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Adel Zaghloul Fayed ◽  
Naglaa Mohamed Abdel Aziz ◽  
Ebrahim Mohamed Amin Abdel Gawad ◽  
Ibrahim Hussien Kamel ◽  
Ahmed Elshahat

Abstract Background Recent advances in hand surgery has been the movement away from tourniquet surgery, which often requires sedation or GA and the patient will be awake and cooperative. Wide awake approach depends on the safety of adrenaline which is now well established. This review will evaluate the role of the wide awake approach in reducing rupture and tenolysis rate after flexor tendon repair zone 2. Objective To evaluate the functional outcome of flexor tendon repair zone II (most challengeable) under wide awake anesthesia. Patients and Methods After approval of local ethical committee of faculty of medicine Ain Shams University, this Prospective study has been conducted targeting patients with acute zone II flexor tendon injuries admitted at El Sahel Teaching Hospital within the period from September 2019 till January 2020, and their follow up for minimum three months at outpatient clinic. A Written informed consent explaining the whole procedure under study in this research has been obtained from all patients and absolute confidentiality as regard the patients’ names and addresses was given special care and attention. Final outcome evaluated by Original Strickland evaluation system. Results Using the wide awake technique provides an optimal opportunity to test repair strength through Intra-operative Total Active Movement (ITAM) making the surgeon much more comfortable to initiate early active motion. Besides, rising trend toward using early active rehabilitation protocol in case of strong repair using four or more strands repairs is recently supported in literature. This study adopted early active rehabilitation protocol with slight differences among them Conclusion This preliminary study assessing the outcomes of primary tendon repair in flexor tendon injuries in zone II using the wide-awake technique demonstrates encouraging results, being satisfactory for both surgeons and patients that makes this new approach a competitive to the other approaches of flexor tendon repair implemented under conventional methods of anesthesia.


2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Bo Tang ◽  
James Chang ◽  
David Elliot ◽  
Donald H. Lalonde ◽  
Michael Sandow ◽  
...  

Hand surgeons continue to search for the best surgical flexor tendon repair and treatment of the tendon sheaths and pulleys, and they are attempting to establish postoperative regimens that fit diverse clinical needs. It is the purpose of this report to present the current views, methods, and suggestions of six senior hand surgeons from six different countries — all experienced in tendon repair and reconstruction. Although certainly there is common ground, the report presents provocative views and approaches. The report reflects an update in the views of the committee. We hope that it is helpful to surgeons and therapists in treating flexor tendon injuries.


1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. ROBERTSON ◽  
M. M. AL-QATTAN

Using a computerised tensometer, both the gap-producing and breaking forces of a new interlocking suture for flexor tendon repair were compared to the modified Kessler and the Strickland techniques. 30 porcine deep flexor tendons were used in each group and all repairs were performed with 3/0 polypropylene sutures. The interlock technique withstood gap-producing and breaking forces significantly better than the modified Kessler and Strickland techniques. Also, the gap-producing force was closer to the breaking force with the interlock technique than with the other two techniques.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document