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. 2023 Sep 26;11(9):23259671231199092.
doi: 10.1177/23259671231199092. eCollection 2023 Sep.

Systematic Review of Complications Associated With Proximal Hamstring Tendon Repair

Jonathan J Lawson  1 , Eliza A Abraham  1 , Casey M Imbergamo  1 , Sean B Sequeira  1 , James C Dreese  1 , Heath P Gould  1
Affiliations

Systematic Review of Complications Associated With Proximal Hamstring Tendon Repair

Jonathan J Lawson et al. Orthop J Sports Med. .

Abstract

Background: Although several complications of proximal hamstring tendon ruptures have been reported in the literature, few studies have comprehensively analyzed the complication profile of proximal hamstring tendon repair.

Purpose: To identify the overall rate of complications following proximal hamstring tendon repair and to differentiate these complications into categories.

Study design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: Included in this review were studies that examined surgical repair of proximal hamstring tendon ruptures; all studies were in English and had an evidence level of 4 or higher. No restrictions were made regarding publication date or methodological quality. Data regarding complications were extracted to calculate the overall complication rate as well as the rate of major and minor complications. A quantitative data synthesis was conducted using the chi-square test to compare the proportion of patients who experienced complications with the endoscopic versus open approach.

Results: A total of 43 articles including 2833 proximal hamstring tendon repairs were identified. The overall postoperative complication rate was 15.3% (n = 433). The rate of major complications was 4.6%, including a 1.7% rate of sciatic nerve injury, 0.8% rate of venous thromboembolism, 0.8% reoperation rate, 0.8% rerupture rate, and 0.4% rate of deep infection. Minor complications included a 2.4% rate of posterior femoral cutaneous nerve injury, 2.3% rate of persistent hamstring myopathy, 2.2% rate of persistent sitting pain, 1.8% rate of peri-incisional numbness, 1.1% rate of superficial infection, and 0.8% rate of hematoma/seroma.

Conclusion: Proximal hamstring tendon repair is associated with an overall complication rate of 15.3%, including a 4.6% rate of major complications.

Keywords: complications; proximal hamstring tendon; repair; systematic review.

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Conflict of interest statement

One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: J.C.D. has received education payments from Supreme Orthopedic Systems, consulting fees and royalties from Zimmer Biomet, and nonconsulting fees from Arthrex. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) diagram illustrating study inclusion and exclusion. a As the primary data search included all possible related articles, additional sources were not needed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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