title: Clinical outcomes associated with flexor tendon repair.
abstract: Review of the outcomes of clinical flexor tendon repairs reported over the past 15 years showed advances in the outcomes with excellent or good functional return in more than three fourths of primary tendon repairs following a variety of postoperative passive/active mobilization treatments. Strickland and Glogovac criteria are the most commonly adopted methods to assess function. Repair ruptures (4%-10% for zone II finger flexors and 3%-17% for the FPL tendon), adhesion formations, and stiffness of finger joints remain frustrating problems in flexor tendon repairs and rehabilitation. Four approaches are suggested to improve outcomes of the repairs and to solve these difficult problems,which include stronger surgical repairs, appropriate pulleys or sheath management, optimization of rehabilitation regimens, and modern biologic approaches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, Hand Surgery Research Center, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, 20 West Temple Road, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu, China. jinbotang@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Jin Bo
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000379:methods; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012421:Rupture; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000209:etiology