This study reports the outcome of immediate re-repair of primary flexor tendon repairs in zones 1 and 2 of the fingers which had ruptured. Between June 1989 and May 2003, a total of 62 fingers in 61 patients presented with ruptured flexor tendon repairs within 48 hours from rupture. Immediate re-repair and rehabilitation was carried out in 44 fingers (71%) in 43 (70%) patients. Thirty-six patients completed the 8-week therapy programme after re-repair in 37 fingers. Nine (24%) had excellent, 10 (27%) good, 5 (14%) fair and 13 (35%) had poor results when assessed by the original Strickland method. Five fingers in five patients ruptured the re-repair. Poor results and second ruptures were particularly common after re-repair of ruptured tendon repairs in the little finger. In the light of these findings, a policy for dealing with ruptured primary flexor tendon repairs in the fingers is suggested.

No abstract

No abstract

Three cases of irrevocable loss of sensation on the ulnar side of the thumb tip are presented in which switch of the radial pulp of the thumb tip to the ulnar side restored sensibility to this critical area, providing a useful functional reconstruction.