title: Rehabilitation outcomes in patients with early and two-stage reconstruction of flexor tendon injuries.
abstract: [Purpose] The primary aim of this study was to assess rehabilitation outcomes for early and two-stage repair of hand flexor tendon injuries. The secondary purpose of this study was to compare the findings between treatment groups. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-three patients were included in this study. Early repair (n=14) and two-stage repair (n=9) groups were included in a rehabilitation program that used hand splints. This retrospective evaluated patients according to their demographic characteristics, including age, gender, injured hand, dominant hand, cause of injury, zone of injury, number of affected fingers, and accompanying injuries. Pain, range of motion, and grip strength were evaluated using a visual analog scale, goniometer, and dynamometer, respectively. [Results] Both groups showed significant improvements in pain and finger flexion after treatment compared with baseline measurements. However, no significant differences were observed between the two treatment groups. Similar results were obtained for grip strength and pinch grip, whereas gross grip was better in the early tendon repair group. [Conclusion] Early and two-stage reconstruction of patients with flexor tendon injuries can be performed with similarly favorable responses and effective rehabilitation programs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ilgin
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sade
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: İnanir
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Private Can Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Suzan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Şen
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sakarya Yenikent State Hospital, Turkey.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Çakmak
authors.affiliation: Yahya Kaptan Occupational Therapy School, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serkan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kablanoğlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Barin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Selçuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Kocaeli University, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nigar
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dursun
keywords: Flexor tendon; Hand rehabilitation; Two-stage repair