Long-term results of early primary repair of flexor pollicis longus tendon injuries
Abstract
Methods : Thirty patients (10 females, 20 males; mean age 26 years; range 4 to 52 years) were treated primarily with end-toend anastomosis for FPL tendon injuries at the level of zone I to IV. Injuries were in the left thumb in 16 patients and in the right thumb in 14 patients. They were localized in zone I in one patient, zone II in 15 patients, zone III in nine patients, and zone IV in five patents. Twenty-five patients were treated within the first few hours after injury, while five patients were treated within a period ranging from 1 to 34 days. Associated digital artery and nerve injuries in 23 patients were treated during the same session. A rehabilitation program was implemented according to the modified Duran method. Functional evaluations were made according to the Buck Gramcko system. The mean follow-up was 34 months (range 5 to 71 months).
Results: Functional results were excellent in 17 patients (56.6%), good in five patients (16.6%), fair in five patients (16.6%), and poor in three patients (9.9%). Excellent and good results accounted for 73.3% and 88.8% in zone II and zone III injuries, respectively. No significant differences existed between functional results obtained from patients with and without associated neurovascular injuries.
Conclusions : Early primary end-to-end repair followed by an appropriate rehabilitation program yields very good functional results in patients with FPL tendon injuries, whether or not they are associated with neurovascular injuries.
Keywords
Details
Primary Language
English
Subjects
Health Care Administration
Journal Section
Research Article
Authors
Kahraman Ozturk
This is me
Emre Orhun
This is me
Oguz Polatkan
This is me
Selma Polatkan
This is me
Publication Date
September 11, 2006
Submission Date
March 7, 2014
Acceptance Date
-
Published in Issue
Year 2004 Volume: 38 Number: 1