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Absorbable sutures behave favourably in vitro and in an animal model. We report the outcome of flexor tendon injuries in a series of 272 consecutive patients treated over 45 months with a mean follow-up of 4 (range 3-12) months. Five hundred and seventy-six tendons were repaired in 416 digits. The patients were not randomised and all repairs were performed using a Strickland four-strand core technique. In 191 (73%) patients an absorbable core suture was used (Group 1) and in 81 (27%) a non-absorbable material was used (Group 2). There were six ruptures (2%) in Group 1 and two (2%) in Group 2. Using the original Strickland criteria, there were 72% excellent/good and 28% fair/poor results in the absorbable core suture group, and 73% and 27%, respectively, in the non-absorbable core suture group. This study suggests that appropriate absorbable core sutures can be used safely for flexor tendon repair.

Original publication

DOI

10.1177/1753193408090758

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Hand Surg Eur Vol

Publication Date

08/2008

Volume

33

Pages

412 - 417

Keywords

Absorbable Implants, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cohort Studies, Female, Finger Injuries, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Polymers, Range of Motion, Articular, Recovery of Function, Retrospective Studies, Sutures, Tendon Injuries, Treatment Outcome, Young Adult