Primary tendon healing. An experimental study.
The management of a severed tendon within the digital sheath continues to present a formidable challenge. The major problem is one of excessive scar tissue formation. It was found experimentally in severed and partially divided tendons that the source of the blood supply, i.e. the vasculature in the tendon proper, will promote healing through the primary tissue (tenoblast) of the tendon itself, whereas the blood supply and granulation tissue from the damaged area of the flexor sheath leads to fibrous (scar) tissue formation. In this study of tendon repair special attention was paid to a suturing procedure which would have the least effect on the intrinsic blood supply to the severed ends. It was found that the basic requirement in successful tendon repair was to approximate and not to strangulate, and to minimize trauma to the flexor sheath which is the main source of scar tissue.
D000818:Animals; D005385:Fingers / Q000601:surgery*; D010215:Papio; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing