Background: The purpose of this study is to assess outcomes in flexor pollicis longus tendon repairs with 6-strand core sutures with and without circumferential sutures.
Methods: A 6-strand core suture technique with and without circumferential sutures was used. Thirty-three patients were summarized in the C group (circumferential group) and 16 patients in the NC group (non-circumferential group). After the surgery, the wrist was stabilized with a dorsal blocking splint and a controlled early active motion protocol was applied. At weeks 6, 13, and 26 data on demographics, type of injury, surgery, postoperative rehabilitation, complications such as re-rupture and the following outcome measurements were collected: range of motion and its recovery according to the Tang criteria, Kapandji score, thumb and hand strengths, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score, and satisfaction.
Results: There were no significant differences in range of motion and strength between the 2 treatment groups. In both groups, the outcome measurements increased over time and they expressed similar satisfaction with the surgical treatment. In 4 patients of the C group tendon repair ruptured and in 1 patient of the NC group.
Conclusions: Six-strand repair technique is an effective procedure to assure early active motion after flexor pollicis longus tendon injuries and good results can also be achieved by omitting the circumferential suture.
Keywords: circumferential suture; early active motion; flexor pollicis longus tendon; primary flexor tendon repair; without circumferential suture.