title: The effect of smoking on post-operative finger range of motion in patients with tendon grafts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The finger range of motion (ROM) was evaluated in patients with hand flexor tendon replacement using a tendon graft and the effect of smoking was investigated. The first hypothesis was: a tendon graft increases the post-operative ROM. The second hypothesis was: smoking has a negative effect on the final finger ROM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty seven autologous tendon grafts in 48 patients were included. The patients were grouped as non-smokers or smokers ("light" or "heavy"). The modified Strickland system and Total Active Motion (TAM) system, were chosen for the evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first hypothesis was proved by all the measurements. The post-operative status assessed by the Strickland method was different between the non-smokers and smokers with a better score in the smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A significant ROM improvement occurs after reconstruction and is even slightly better in smokers than in non-smokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, Masaryk University, Faculty of Medicine, St. Anne's University Hospital, Brno, Czech Republic. justan@operativa.cz
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Justan
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ovesná
authors.forename: Tomáš
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubek
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hýža
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stupka
authors.forename: Zdeněk
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dvořák
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005385:Fingers / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011184:Postoperative Period; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D012907:Smoking; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation / Q000601:surgery; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery* / Q000637:transplantation*; D019737:Transplants