Delayed primary flexor tendon repair in zone II injuries: results of using WALANT and controlled true active motion

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Emir Z., Güngör S., Çevik K., Ayhan E.

JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY (EUROPEAN VOLUME), cilt.0, sa.0, ss.1-6, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)

• Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
• Cilt numarası: 0 Sayı: 0
• Basım Tarihi: 2025
• Doi Numarası: 10.1177/17531934251315039
• Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF HAND SURGERY (EUROPEAN VOLUME)
• Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, MEDLINE
• Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-6
• Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu
• Gazi Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Early repair of flexor tendon injuries is ideal, but delays are common. We studied the outcomes of flexor

tendon repairs delayed from 5 days to 6 months and carried out under wide-awake local anaesthesia with no

tourniquet (WALANT). Twenty-four patients (29 fingers) who underwent primary flexor tendon repair on zone

II using a four- to six-strand core suture technique, followed by controlled early active motion therapy.

Clinical assessments, including total active motion (TAM) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand,

were made 6, 8 and 12 weeks after operation. All outcomes improved significantly over time. At the final

assessment, 93% of fingers showed excellent TAM outcomes. Extension deficit was between 5 degrees and 20 degrees in

eight of 26 fingers. The results of this study suggest that delayed primary flexor tendon repair under WALANT

can achieve excellent functional outcomes, although longer follow-up is needed for extension deficit

recovery.