RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 A biomechanical study of pediatric flexor profundus tendon repair
JF Saudi Medical Journal
JO Saudi Med J
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 957
OP 962
DO 10.15537/smj.2016.9.15069
VO 37
IS 9
A1 Al-Thunayan, Turki A.
A1 Al-Zahrani, Mohammed T.
A1 Hakeem, Ahmad A.
A1 Al-Zahrani, Fahad M.
A1 Al-Qattan, Mohammad M.
YR 2016
UL http://smj.org.sa/content/37/9/957.abstract
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.