title: Flexor tendon repair using a stainless steel external splint. Biomechanical study on human cadaver flexor tendons.
abstract: A stainless steel external tendon splint was used in repair of cadaver tendons and compared with standard tendon repairs with suture. The splint was combined with a Kessler repair and tested against the Kessler, Becker, and Savage repairs in fresh human cadaver flexor digitorum profundus tendons. Biomechanical testing was done on a tensile testing machine, and load-displacement curves were generated. The repairs using the external tendon splint demonstrated a range of improvement of 32 to 146% in mean maximal tensile strength and a 20 to 185% improvement of mean ultimate tensile strength compared with all other repairs. The external tendon splint is relatively easy to apply to a tendon. The repair is strengthened and becomes capable of withstanding early active range of motion exercises. In vivo testing will be needed to assess the potential clinical usefulness of such a device.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, California Medical Center, San Francisco, USA. lghand@aol.com
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Dysarz
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Venkateswara
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Mok
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rabinowitz
mesh_terms: D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000379:methods; D013165:Splints; D013193:Stainless Steel; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000503:physiopathology; D013718:Tensile Strength
chemical_list: D013193:Stainless Steel