title: Flexor tendon repairs: techniques, eponyms, and evidence.
abstract: The evolution in surgical technique and suture technology has provided an abundance of options for flexor tendon repairs. Multiple biomechanical studies have attempted to identify the best surgical technique based on suture properties, technical modifications, and repair configurations. However, the burgeoning amount of research on flexor tendon repairs has made it difficult to follow, and no gold standard has been determined for the optimal repair algorithm. Therefore, it seems that repairs are usually chosen based on a combination of familiarity from training, popularity, and technical difficulty. We will discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and technical aspects of some of the most common core flexor tendon repairs in the literature. We will also highlight the nomenclature carried through the years, drawings of the repairs referred to by that nomenclature, and the data that support those repairs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA; Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center, Indianapolis, IN.
authors.forename: Aakash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.affiliation: Division of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA; Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center, Indianapolis, IN.
authors.forename: Bradley A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Palmer
authors.affiliation: Division of Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA; Indiana Hand to Shoulder Center, Indianapolis, IN. Electronic address: gregmerrell@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Merrell
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004850:Eponyms; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D013536:Suture Techniques / Q000639:trends*; D013708:Tendon Injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D013718:Tensile Strength; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Flexor tendon injuries; load to failure; repair; repair site gapping; surgical technique; zone II