title: The results of immediate re-repair of zone 1 and 2 primary flexor tendon repairs which rupture.
abstract: This study reports the outcome of immediate re-repair of primary flexor tendon repairs in zones 1 and 2 of the fingers which had ruptured. Between June 1989 and May 2003, a total of 62 fingers in 61 patients presented with ruptured flexor tendon repairs within 48 hours from rupture. Immediate re-repair and rehabilitation was carried out in 44 fingers (71%) in 43 (70%) patients. Thirty-six patients completed the 8-week therapy programme after re-repair in 37 fingers. Nine (24%) had excellent, 10 (27%) good, 5 (14%) fair and 13 (35%) had poor results when assessed by the original Strickland method. Five fingers in five patients ruptured the re-repair. Poor results and second ruptures were particularly common after re-repair of ruptured tendon repairs in the little finger. In the light of these findings, a policy for dealing with ruptured primary flexor tendon repairs in the fingers is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Hand Surgery Department, St. Andrew's Centre for Plastic Surgery, Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, Essex, UK.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Dowd
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Figus
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Southgate
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Elliot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D012086:Reoperation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome