Flexor tendon repair in children with zone 2 injuries: an innovative technique using autogenous vein

This is a new technique for tendon repair that may improve the results of existing methods.

The study is a nonrandomized retrospective study using historical (nonconcurrent) controls. From May 1994 to March 2004, 53 children aged 5 to 15 years requiring tendon repair (test group) were compared to 53 children conventionally repaired (control group). All patients had flexor tendon injuries, involving zone 2. In the test group (53 patients), a modified Kessler repairing of tendons with 4-0 prolene was used, followed by a core suture of running 7-0 nylon or prolene epitendinous suture. After the tendon repair, a segment of vein through which the tendon had been passed before or a vein patch used as a tendon sheath substitute was used to repair the sheath defects. The results during 6 months of follow-up were compared with those of the control group that were operated using the conventional technique (modified Kessler method).

We assessed the results by measuring the range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal, distal interphalangeal, and proximal interphalangeal joints in the follow-up period and graded them as excellent, good, fair, and poor. In the test group, 86% were graded as excellent, 11% good, 3% fair, and 0% poor results; and in the control group, 0% were excellent, 12% good, 38% fair, and 50% poor results. The differences were significant (P < .005).

Our preliminary results appeared encouraging when compared with the outcomes achieved by the conventional tendon repair technique. As the new technique decreases the need for intensive physiotherapy, it may serve as a substitute method for the conventional tendon repair and eventually become a standard technique in the future.