title: Work of flexion after flexor tendon repair according to the placement of sutures.
abstract: Tendon repairs comparing dorsal or volar placement of sutures were done on 36 flexor profundus tendons from 9 canine cadaveric paws. Three suture techniques were used. Work of flexion as a measure of resistance to tendon gliding was measured in the following groups: Groups 1 and 2: 4-strand Savage technique with 5-0 core suture, dorsal or volar placement; Groups 3 and 4: 4-strand Savage technique with 4-0 core suture, dorsal or volar placement; and Groups 5 and 6: tendon splint technique, dorsal or volar placement. The increase in work of flexion values were 11.3%, 14.1%, 12.2%, 37%, 20.5%, and 92.7% for Groups 1 through 6, respectively. The increase in work of flexion value in Group 4 was significantly greater than that in Group 3, and the value in Group 6 was significantly greater than Group 5. These data suggest that the work of flexion after tendon repair was influenced by the location of the suture material; volar location of suture material significantly increased the work of flexion value.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Manske
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Pruitt
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Larson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004285:Dogs; D005552:Forelimb; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D009068:Movement; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013710:Tendons / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery*