Evaluation of Rehabilitation of Surgically Repaired Flexor Hand Tendons and Ultrasonographic Follow up of Their Healing

Objectives: To evaluate the role of early rehabilitation of surgically repaired flexor hand tendons in improvement of clinical outcome and the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound in follow up of their healing.

Patients and methods: Thirty patients with 31 repaired flexor tendons. Assessment was done after 2nd, 4th,8th and 12th weeks of rehabilitation by visual analogue scale (VAS), total active motion of injured fingers (TAM), grip strength, hand assessment tool (HAT) score and ultrasound (US).

Results: There was a significant development in pain assessed by VAS, TAM, grip strength and HAT score of the affected hand (p<0.001). Ultrasonographic assessment of healing flexor tendons showed significant improvement in defect size, thickness, vascularity, echogenicity and margination. There was positive correlation between margination of healing flexor tendon with VAS, hand grip and HAT score.

Conclusions: Application of proper rehabilitation programs has a great impact on improving the functional outcome after surgical repair of flexor hand tendons. High-frequency ultrasound is used to follow up tendon healing after surgical repair and to assess the state of tendon repair in relation to clinical result.