title: Current practice in acute flexor tendon repair in Israel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Various methods of core suture and suture material are used successfully in acute flexor tendon repair.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current practice in acute flexor tendon repair among Israeli hand surgeons.
  
  
  METHODS
  A five-question survey was conducted among certified hand surgeons in Israel regarding their preferred materials and method for performing acute flexor tendon repair.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-eight hand surgeons participated in the survey. The most widely used core suture in zone 2 (58.3%), as well as in zones 3 and 4 (62.5%), was the modified Kessler type. The most widely used suture material was nylon. All surgeons incorporated epitendinous sutures to augment their core sutures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The modified Kessler core suture technique is the most widely used technique among Israeli hand surgeons for repairing acute flexor tendon lacerations in zones 2, 3 and 4. This finding agrees with worldwide data and with emerging data attesting to the lower risk of adhesion formation and postoperative tendon ruptures with this method. The core suture technique initially popularized by the late Prof. Isidor Kessler, who headed our department during the years 1973-92, remains the most practiced acute flexor tendon repair technique among hand surgeons in Israel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hand Surgery, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. orens@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Oren
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sarig
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hass
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oron
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013537:Sutures; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*