Impact of Changing Post-Operative Flexor Tendon Rehabilitation Program with Early Detection of Complications

Abstract

Background: Hand injuries are among the most frequent injuries worldwide, constituting between 6.65% to 28.6% of all injuries and 28% of injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Early post-operative rehabilitation and splinting after flexor tendon repair is very important to improve tendon healing. Presence of dedicated physical therapists play a golden role in early rehabilitation and diagnosis of tendon complications.Patients and Methods: Data collected from all admitted cases with hand injuries during the period (from January 2016 to December 2017). In late 2016, a dedicated physical rehabilitation hand subunit was created in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department. Hand ultrasound was done to exclude tendon rupture or tendon adhesions.Results: 475 cases of flexor tendon injury, zone II injuries for fingers were the most common meanwhile, for thumb injuries; zone III in 2016 and zone II in 2017 were the most common, the rate of flexor tendon rupture in 2016 was 4.32% (3.3% was early rupture within three weeks) while in 2017 was 2.87% (2.6% were early rupture after three weeks), Tendon adhesions occurred in 7.32% of total cased in 2016 while in 2017 was 4.76%. Conclusion:Epidemiological data enhances our knowledge of injury patterns and may play a role in the treatment of tendon injuries. With early physical rehabilitation, better prognosis was achieved and hence better functional outcome.