Injuries to the digital extensors

The tendency to regard lesions of the flexor tendons of the hand as difficult to repair and those of the extensor tendons as simple to treat is completely arbitrary. Extensor tendons have the advantage of running an almost entirely extrasynovial course, which facilitates the repair. On the other hand, they are thin, superficial structures, and when damaged they tend rapidly to become adherent to the underlying bones and joints. The excursion of the extensor tendons of the hand is considerably less than that of the flexors; thus, a loss of length is more difficult to compensate for. In our experience, management of lesions of the extensor apparatus has given rise to many difficulties. However, failures or partial failures are usually of less consequence than with the flexors.