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Analysis of Pediatric Tendon Injuries in the Hand in Comparison with Adults
Jin Sung Kim1, Seung Je Sung2, Young Joon Kim2
1Item Plastic Surgery Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
Pediatric hand tendon injuries share similar epidemiologic characteristics with adult injuries. Careful examination is crucial, as severity is not necessarily less in children with hand injuries.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Pediatric Surgery
- Hand Surgery
Background:
- Hand tendon injuries are common in both pediatric and adult populations.
- Understanding epidemiologic differences is key for targeted treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and compare the epidemiologic characteristics of hand tendon injuries in children versus adults.
- To inform clinical practice regarding pediatric hand trauma.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 533 patients with acute traumatic hand tendon injuries (2005-2013).
- Patients categorized into pediatric (≤15 years) and adult (>15 years) groups.
- Analysis included demographics, injury mechanisms, affected tendons/digits, and complications.
Main Results:
- Pediatric injuries often involved males, the right hand, extensor tendons, complete ruptures, and glass injuries.
- Adult injuries showed similar patterns but with a higher incidence of index finger and knife-related injuries.
- Fractures were more common in adults; complication rates were similar between groups.
Conclusions:
- No significant epidemiologic differences were found between pediatric and adult hand tendon injuries.
- The assumption of lesser severity in pediatric cases is inaccurate.
- Thorough physical examination and surgical exploration are vital for pediatric hand injuries.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to identify the epidemiologic characteristics of hand tendon injuries in children and to compare these with those of adults.
Methods:
This retrospective study was conducted on acute traumatic tendon injuries of the hand treated at our institution from 2005 to 2013, based on medical records and X-ray findings. Age, sex, hand injured, mechanism of injury, tendons and zones injured, number of affected digits, and comorbidities and complications were analyzed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: a pediatric group (≤15 years) and an adult group (>15 years).
Results:
Over the 9-year study period, 533 patients were surgically treated for acute traumatic tendon injuries of the hand. In the pediatric group (n=76), being male, the right hand, the extensor tendon, complete rupture, the middle finger, and glass injury predominated in hand tendon injuries. In the adult group (n=457), results were similar, but injury to the index finger and knife injury were the most common. An accompanying fracture was more common in the adult group and complication rates were non-significantly different.
Conclusions:
This comparative analysis revealed no significant epidemiologic intergroup differences. The belief that pediatric tendon injuries tend to be less severe is misplaced, and careful physical examination and exploration should be conducted in pediatric cases of hand injury.
