title: Zone 2 flexor tendon repair in young children: a comparative study of four-strand versus two-strand repair.
abstract: This study compares the active ranges of finger motion and rupture rates of two-strand and four-strand repairs in zone 2 flexor tendon lacerations in young children. A total of 29 patients (under the age of 4 years) with 32 flexor tendon lacerations in zone 2 were evaluated. The injured tendons were randomly repaired with either two-strand or four-strand modified Strickland techniques. At a mean follow-up period of 11 months, the mean total active motion of interphalangeal joints was 156 degrees in the two-strand and 158 degrees in the four-strand group. According to the Strickland original method, this means an average of 89% (range 57-100%) of normal function in the two-strand and 90% (range 60-100%) in the four-strand group. There were no ruptures of the four-strand repairs, but one two-strand repair failed within 3 weeks of the repair. Statistically, we were not able to show any significant difference in the active ranges of finger motion achieved with two-strand and four-strand repairs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tabriz Medical Sciences University, Tabriz, Iran. Amir_Navali@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Navali
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rouhani
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012421:Rupture / Q000601:surgery; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome