PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Turki A. Al-Thunayan
AU  - Mohammed T. Al-Zahrani
AU  - Ahmad A. Hakeem
AU  - Fahad M. Al-Zahrani
AU  - Mohammad M. Al-Qattan
TI  - A biomechanical study of pediatric flexor profundus tendon repair
AID  - 10.15537/smj.2016.9.15069
DP  - 2016 Sep 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 957--962
VI  - 37
IP  - 9
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/37/9/957.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/37/9/957.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2016 Sep 01; 37
AB  - Objectives: To investigate the tensile strength of repaired flexor profundus tendons in young lambs, which would be equivalent to repairs in children older than 2 years of age.Methods: A comparative in-vitro experimental study conducted at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 2014 to December 2015. We utilized 30 flexor profundus tendons of young lambs with a width of 4 mm. All tendons were repaired with a 4-strand repair technique using 4/0 polypropylene core sutures. In group I (n=10 tendons), 2 separate figure-of-eight sutures were applied. In group II (n=10 tendons), simple locking sutures were added to the corners of 2 separate figure-of-eight sutures. In group III (n=10 tendons), the locked cruciate repair was used. All tendon repairs were tested to single-cycle tensile failure.Results: There was no significant difference between groups II and III with regards to gap and breaking forces; and all forces of these 2 groups were significantly higher than the forces in group I.Conclusion: It was concluded that 4 mm-wide pediatric flexor tendons allow a 4-strand repair and the use of 4/0 sutures. The use of locking sutures increases the tensile strength to values that may allow protective mobilization in children.