J Hand Microsurg 2013; 5(2): 68-73
DOI: 10.1007/s12593-013-0100-8
Original Article
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Comparison of Transverse Intraosseous Loop Technique and Pull Out Suture for Reinsertion of the Flexor Digitorum Profundus tendon. A Retrospective Study

István Zoltán Rigó
1   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Nordland Hospital, Prinsens gate 164, 8005 Bodø, Norway   Email: is-rig@online.no
,
Magne Røkkum
2   Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0027 Oslo, Norway
› Author Affiliations

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Publication History

09 January 2013

09 July 2013

Publication Date:
05 September 2016 (online)

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Abstract

We compared the results of two methods for reinsertion of flexor digitorum profundus tendons retrospectively. In 35 fingers of 29 patients pull-out suture and in 13 fingers of 11 patients transverse intraosseous loop technique was performed with a mean follow-up of 8 and 6 months, respectively. Eleven and nine fingers achieved “excellent” or “good” function according to Strickland and Glogovac at 8 weeks; 20 and ten at the last control in the pull-out and transverse intraosseous loop groups, respectively. The difference at 8 weeks was statistically significant in favour of the transverse intraosseous loop group. Ten patients underwent 12 complications in the pull-out group (four superficial infections; one rerupture, one PIP and one DIP joint contracture, one adhesion, two granulomas, one nail deformity and one carpal tunnel syndrome) and four of them were reoperated (one carpal tunnel release, one teno-arthrolysis and two resections of granuloma). There was no complication and no reoperation in the transverse intraosseous loop group, the difference being statistically significant for the former. In our study the transverse intraosseous loop technique seemed to be a safe alternative with possibly better functional results compared to the pull-out suture.