Post-operative management of flexor tendon grafting

This paper reviews the post-operative management of 145 tendon grafts in 127 patients. 80 grafts were managed post-operatively by a period (three to four weeks) of immobilisation followed by gentle active mobilisation. 65 grafts were managed by immediate controlled mobilisation (Kleinert technique) for three to four weeks. The final motion obtained was independent of the post-operative management. However, the rates of graft rupture (nine against four) and of tenolysis (sixteen against eight) were higher in the immobilised group.