Coats Robert W, Echevarría-Oré Julio C, Mass Daniel P
Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago Hospital, 5841 South Maryland Avenue, MC 3079, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Hand Clin. 2005 May;21(2):173-9. doi: 10.1016/j.hcl.2004.11.001.
Flexor tendon repair in zone II is still a technically demanding procedure, but the outcomes have become more predictable and satisfying. Of keystone importance for obtaining the goals of normal strength and gliding of repaired flexor tendons are an atraumatic surgical technique, an appropriate suture material, a competent pulley system, and the use of early motion rehabilitation protocols. The overall goal of hand and finger function also implies timely addressing of neurovascular injuries. New devices such as the TenoFix (Ortheon Medical; Winter Park, Florida) have shown adequate strength in the laboratory but are bulky and untested for work of flexion. Insufficient clinical data and high cost may prevent widespread use.