Intratendinous rupture of a flexor tendon graft many years after staged reconstruction: A report of three cases

Three cases of rupture of a flexor tendon graft many years after surgery ar e presented. Two cases occurred 12 years after reconstruction and the third case occurred 21 years after reconstruction. Each rupture was intratendino us, just proximal to the flexor tendon sheath in 2 cases and at the proxima l edge of the transverse carpal ligament in the third case. Active digital flexion was restored by transfer of the flexor digitorum superficialis from an adjacent finger to the distal tendon stump or by direct end-to-end repa ir of the rupture site reinforced with an onlay autogenous patch graft. Pat ients undergoing tendon grafting should be alerted to the possibility of ru pture, even many years later. Copyright (C) 2000 by the American Society fo r Surgery of the Hand.