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Initial Experience with the PONTiS Tendon Repair System in Traumatic Upper Extremity Injuries
Daniel W Maxwell1, Karan A Desai1, Robert C Fang1
1From the Department of General Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Emory University Hospital; and Grady Memorial Hospital.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
|June 7, 2022
Summary
The PONTiS flexor tendon repair system offers a rapid and simple solution for upper extremity tendon injuries, with complication rates comparable to traditional sutures but better outcomes for rupture and tenolysis. Caution is advised with poor soft-tissue coverage.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Hand Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
Background:
- Tendon injuries of the upper extremity are common and necessitate prompt surgical intervention.
- The PONTiS flexor tendon repair system, a knotless, multifilament, stainless steel crimp device, was evaluated for its initial clinical experience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the initial experience with the PONTiS flexor tendon repair system in patients undergoing surgical repair.
- To assess risk factors associated with complications following flexor tendon repair using the PONTiS system.
Main Methods:
- A review of consecutive patients undergoing flexor tendon repair with the PONTiS system between 2015 and 2017.
- Multivariate risk and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were employed to identify risk factors for complications.
- Data collected included patient demographics, injury characteristics, and post-operative outcomes.
Main Results:
- Eighty-one patients were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 75 days.
- Common demographics included right-handed males in labor professions sustaining zone 2 lacerations.
- Thirteen patients (16.0%) experienced complications; poor soft-tissue coverage and zone 2 involvement were identified as risk factors, while epitendinous repairs showed protective effects.
Conclusions:
- The PONTiS flexor tendon repair system is efficient for multiple tendon injuries, demonstrating comparable overall complication rates to traditional sutures but improved rupture and tenolysis rates.
- Recommendations include cautious use in cases with poor soft-tissue coverage to prevent extrusion.
- Concurrent use of epitendinous sutures is strongly advised to mitigate complications.
