title: Usefulness of braided polyblend polyethylene suture material for flexor tendon repair in zone II by the side-locking loop technique.
abstract: Flexor tendon injuries in zone II were treated in 14 fingers of 13 patients with our method. Firstly, a 2-strand core suture was made by the side-locking loop technique using a USP 2-0-sized braided polyblend polyethylene suture, then 7-strand peripheral cross-stitches were added using a USP 5-0-sized monofilament nylon suture. Post-operative exercises included passive flexion and extension without external fixation on the next day of surgery. Average follow-up observation period was 18 months. As results, the Strickland method of assessment for surgical outcome showed excellent in eight digits and good in five digits, though there was a poor outcome in one digit. Our suture method enabled early post-operative mobilisation exercise without using a splint, while preventing adhesion between the repaired tendon and peripheral tissues, which is considered to provide far greater ultimate tensile strength and a smaller gap at the sutured site than by the conventional method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Wakakusadaichi Hospital, Higashi-Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ryoke
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchio
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamagami
authors.forename: Suguru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuwata
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nozaki
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020959:Polyethylene; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013537:Sutures; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D020959:Polyethylene