[Traumatic and degenerative tendon lesions of the hand]

Abstract

Tendon lesions are the second most common injury in the hand and therefore an important factor in orthopedic patients. Most injuries are open injuries to the flexor or extensor tendons; nevertheless, also less frequent injuries such as damage to the functional system of tendon sheath and pulley or dull avulsions need to be considered. Besides the clinical examination, ultrasound and MRI have proven to be important diagnostic tools. In the postoperative course of flexor tendon injuries, the principle of early passive movement is important to trigger "intrinsic" tendon healing to guarantee a good outcome.