Flexor tendon injuries in children: Factors influencing prognosis

We reviewed a series of 44 children with 58 fingers involved, 21 of them oc curring in the digital canal. The core stitch was performed according to th e Kessler modified technique. The mean follow-up at the time of review was 3 years. The return of total active motion (TAM) in the interphalangeal joi nts was evaluated with the Strickland formula. Results were excellent in 84 %, good in 5%, fair in 2%, and poor in 9%. Influencing factors were childre n younger than 5 years, lesions in zone II, both tendon injuries in the dig ital canal, and the type of immobilization (below-elbow splint). Rupture oc curred in 9%, especially in the very young children with a shea postoperati ve immobilization. Variables such as the early-mobilization program, the le ngth of the postoperative immobilization period, or concurrent digital nerv e injury had no significant effect on the final result.