NOVEL USE OF SILASTIC VESSEL LOOPS IN THE STAGED RECONSTRUCTION OF CHRONIC FLEXOR TENDON INJURIES

Objectives: Chronic flexor tendon injuries of the hand have historically been managed with a two-staged repair approach. This typically involves a tendon sheath spacer placement in the first stage followed by a free tendon graft through the new pseudo sheath in the second stage. This method was first described in 1971 by Hunter and Salisbury, in which a silicone rod was used as the tendon sheath spacer, and remains the most common treatment option for patients with neglected tendon injury. However, these silicone Hunter tendon rods are not always readily available and can be cost-prohibitive. Previous studies have described the use of silicone Foley catheters, nasogastric tubes, and drain tubes as substitutes for the Hunter rod. This report details the novel use of Silastic vessel loops in two patients and demonstrates their utility as an additional low-cost alternative that is more readily available than the Hunter rod for two staged flexor tendon reconstruction.

Methods:

Results:

Conclusion: