title: Early active mobilization of primary repairs of the flexor pollicis longus tendon.
abstract: This study reports the treatment of divided flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendons from 1989 to 1998. The first 30 patients, in whom the tendon was repaired with a Kessler suture and simple epitendinous suture and mobilized using early active motion with only the thumb splinted, achieved 70/73% (White/Buck-Gramcko assessments respectively), excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 17%. The next 39 patients underwent the same treatment but in a splint with the thumb position altered and the fingers also splinted, with 67/72% excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 15%. The next 49 patients underwent repair with a Kessler suture and a reinforced epitendinous suture and the same mobilization as group 2, with 76/80% excellent or good results and a rupture rate of 8%. The final combination of repair and early active mobilization for primary repair of FPL tendons compares favourably with previous methods of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Department, St Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sirotakova
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D013165:Splints; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D013933:Thumb / Q000293:injuries*; D013997:Time Factors