title: Flexor tendon injuries in children: factors influencing prognosis.
abstract: We reviewed a series of 44 children with 58 fingers involved, 21 of them occurring in the digital canal. The core stitch was performed according to the Kessler modified technique. The mean follow-up at the time of review was 3 years. The return of total active motion (TAM) in the interphalangeal joints was evaluated with the Strickland formula. Results were excellent in 84%, good in 5%, fair in 2%, and poor in 9%. Influencing factors were children younger than 5 years, lesions in zone II, both tendon injuries in the digital canal, and the type of immobilization (below-elbow splint). Rupture occurred in 9%, especially in the very young children with a short postoperative immobilization. Variables such as the early-mobilization program, the length of the postoperative immobilization period, or concurrent digital nerve injury had no significant effect on the final result.
authors.affiliation: Robert Debré Hospital, Paris, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fitoussi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lebellec
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Frajman
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Penneçot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011379:Prognosis; D012042:Registries; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D013708:Tendon Injuries; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome