Original CommunicationsUltrasound evaluation of flexor tendon lacerations*,**,*,**
Section snippets
Materials and methods
Thirteen injured digits in 10 hands in 10 patients (8 males and 2 females) were preoperatively evaluated using real-time ultrasonography (Table 1).Patient No. Age (y) Injured Hand Digit Mechanism of Injury Time to Scan (d) Time to Surgery (d) 1 17 R Thumb Gunshot 11 0 2 25 R Index, long, ring Knife 10 6 3 29 R Thumb Knife 4 3 4 48 L Thumb Saw blade 2 5 5 42 L Index (palm) Knife 2 10 6 46 R Long, ring (palm) Knife 7 2 7 23 R Thumb Can 168 6 8 46 L Index Band saw 0 3 9 22 L Index Knife 4 1 10 36 L Index Barbecue grill 12 4
Results
Ultrasonography was accurate in determining the status of the flexor tendon in 11 of 13 digits and in 18 of 20 potentially injured flexor tendons (12 intact, 2 partial tendon lacerations, and 6 complete tendon lacerations; Table 2).Patient No. Surgical Findings Ultrasound Accurate? Identify Proximal End of Tendon? Other Injured Structures 1 Intact FPL Yes × 1 Metacarpal fracture Intact index FDS, FDP Intact ring FDS, FDP Intact long FDS 2 Cut long FDP Yes ×
Discussion
There are several potential uses of ultrasonography in examining the hand, including evaluating flexor and extensor tendon lacerations and avulsion injuries. Ultrasound can also evaluate the status of repaired tendons, ligament injuries, masses, and fluid collections (eg, ganglions, abscesses) and detect foreign bodies.1, 2 To date, the experience in evaluating flexor tendon injuries with ultrasonography is limited.
Corduff et al3 used ultrasonography to evaluate repaired flexor tendons. These
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Cited by (82)
Role of Ultrasound in Flexor Tendon Injuries of the Hand: A New Insight
2021, Ultrasound in Medicine and BiologyComparative Sensitivity and Specificity of Static and Dynamic High-Resolution Ultrasound in Diagnosis of Small Gaps in Repaired Flexor Tendons: A Cadaveric Study
2021, Journal of Hand SurgeryCitation Excerpt :Aside from improved resolution, it offers portability, readiness, noninvasiveness, affordability, and the ability to evaluate structures dynamically.22 It has also been used to diagnose hand conditions, such as rupture after flexor tendon repair.7 Dynamic evaluation can help distinguish rupture from adhesions, both causes of decreased active motion after repair,16 but may be limited by pain, concern of stressing recently repaired tendons, and technical difficulty in small fingers, or those with fixed contractures.
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in the Emergency Department: Is There a Role?
2021, Seminars in RoentgenologyCitation Excerpt :Emergent or urgent assessment of tendon rupture in the finger can be performed with dynamic US, which has been shown to have greater sensitivity and specificity than physical exam, while being quicker to perform than MRI.61 US can identify the proximal stump of a completely ruptured tendon, information that is important for surgical planning.68 Annular pulley disruption can also be diagnosed with dynamic US.69
ACR Appropriateness Criteria <sup>®</sup> Acute Hand and Wrist Trauma
2019, Journal of the American College of Radiology
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No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
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Reprint requests: Donald H. Lee, MD, Division of Orthopedic Surgery, 505 MEB, 1813 Sixth Ave S, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294.
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0363-5023/00/25A02-0004$3.00/0
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J Hand Surg 2000; 25A:236–241