[Postoperative treatment and rehabilitation following flexor tendon injuries]

Abstract

Background: The ideal surgical and postoperative treatment for flexor tendon injuries, especially in zone 2, is still subject to continuous modifications and professional discussions.

Objective: Presentation of established rehabilitation concepts, specific problems and new treatment approaches with practical recommendations for application.

Material and methods: Comparison of commonly used treatment concepts by assessing surgical flexor tendon repair, splint choice and clinical application in patients. Discussion of new surgical approaches and standards and their influence on postoperative therapy after flexor tendon injuries.

Results: The Washington regimen has retained its status as the standard in the current follow-up treatment of flexor tendon injuries. New suture materials and techniques enable early active rehabilitation of sutured flexor tendons with good clinical results, such as increased range of motion for interphalangeal joint extension and improved distal interphalangeal joint flexion with overall acceptable frequencies of suture rupture.

Conclusion: A stable tendon repair with smooth gliding is the foundation for treatment after flexor tendon injuries. After intraoperative active digital extension-flexion testing of the sutured tendon an early active rehabilitation approach should follow. New splint designs in combination with primary stable tendon suture techniques have the potential to improve the postoperative outcome, presupposing a reliable cooperation of the patient.

Keywords: Early active mobilization; Hand therapy; Patient compliance; Physical therapy modalities; Splint.