Flexor Tendon Lacerations eMedicine Orthopaedics

Description: Injuries to the flexor tendons of the hand are common. Each specific movement of the hand relies on the finely tuned biomechanical interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic musculotendinous forces. Considering the hand's role in labor, entertainment, art, literature, and passion, hand surgeons should fully define the normal and pathologic boundaries in each patient examined. With injuries that involve flexor tendons, fully defining the pathology is especially important. In this article, the management of the flexor tendon injuries is addressed specifically, with emphasis on history, physical examination, surgical repair, and rehabilitation.
Michael Neumeister, MD, FRCSC, FACS; Bradon J Wilhelmi, MD; Reuben A Bueno, Jr, MD