[Experimental "hormonal tenolysis" by cortisone therapy (author's transl)]

To prevent tendons from postoperative proliferation and adhesion to surrounding structures is still a main problem in handsurgery. In addition to numerous modifications of atraumatic handsurgical techniques which have been developed some sporadic attempts are made by animal experiments and clinical trials in order to avoid postoperative adhesive tenosynovitis by hormone therapy. Because of the high doses of cortisone which are required this method of treatment is generally not accepted. Using a new method of postoperative fixation of flexor tendon sutures in rabbits the possibility of a "hormonal tenolysis" by extremely high doses of cortisone could be confirmed. In a following study it is planned to perform breaking experiments on tendons after hormone therapy in order to determine the upper limit of the therapeutical range of cortisone medication.