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Patterns of mRNA expression for matrix molecules and growth factors in flexor tendon injury: differences in the regulation between tendon and tendon sheath.

PURPOSE: Injuries to tendons, particularly flexor tendons, can lead to loss of function after healing due to adhesion formation and other complications. The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the healing process in tendons and tendon sheaths to develop methods to affect the healing process and improve the outcome of tendon repair in the future. METHODS: In a rabbit model of flexor tendon injury, tissues were harvested 3, 6, 12, and 24 days after surgery (n = 6 for each group). After RNA extraction, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for relevant genes in tendon and tendon sheaths were measured using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Messenger RNA levels for a subset of relevant molecules at different time points after injury were compared with those of uninjured controls for tendons and tendon sheaths. RESULTS: Initially after injury, there was a shift in collagen expression with a marked increase in type III mRNA levels in both the tendon and tendon sheath, whereas those for collagen I increased only in the sheath at later time points. Aggrecan and versican mRNA levels were increased in both tissues, but temporal aspects of the changes were different. The mRNA levels for biglycan and lumican were all upregulated throughout the healing interval examined, whereas those for decorin were significantly decreased throughout in the tendon more so than the sheath. The mRNA levels for basic fibroblastic growth factor and transforming growth factor beta were elevated after injury in the tendon but not in the sheath. In contrast, mRNA levels for connective tissue growth factor were unaltered or decreased in both tissues throughout the interval assessed. CONCLUSIONS: Healing after injury to the rabbit flexor tendon and tendon sheath follow a reproducible pattern of gene expression; however, the pattern in the tendon is very different from that in the sheath. These findings indicate that interventions developed to improve healing of these tissues will have to address these differences, because they will likely affect the outcomes.

Animals↗

[Recommendations for expert assessment of tendon injuries].

Expert assessment of tendon injuries depends on differences between private and public insurance providers in the way preexisting conditions have to be taken into account. In most cases degenerative and injury-dependent factors have to be balanced. Common tendon injuries such as Achilles and biceps tendon ruptures as well as rotator cuff tears are discussed.

Diagnosis-Related Groups↗

Flexor pollicis longus tendon injuries in children.

Tendon injuries to the thumb are uncommon in children. Nine children (mean age 6.1 years) with isolated complete injuries to the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) were treated with primary suture and controlled mobilisation at a major referral centre between 1985 and 1992. Five injuries occurred in zone II, two in zone III and two in zone V. One child developed sepsis and there were no cases of tendon rupture. Good or excellent results (Buck-Gramcko criteria) were achieved in seven of the nine children. Pinch grip after repair was similar to the non-injured hand. Primary repair and early controlled mobilisation of FPL leads to satisfactory results in children.

Child↗

MR imaging of tendon injuries in the elbow.

Tendon injuries are among the more common sources of elbow pain, resulting from occupational and sports activities as well as the activities of daily living. The exquisite soft-tissue contrast resolution and multiplanar capability of MR imaging have proven ideal for evaluating, diagnosing, and managing tendon injuries. Familiarity with normal anatomy, the spectrum of tendon derangement from tendinosis to complete tears, and the typical injury mechanisms involved in tendinopathy about the elbow are all invaluable for appropriate MR imaging examination and interpretation.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders↗

[Late results of severe flexor tendon injuries of the hand after producing tendon-sheath from a vein (author's transl)].

In 1975 one of the authors published a new procedure of reconstruction of severe flexor tendon injuries in the Verdan 2 Zone: a flexor-tendon plasty combined with the reconstruction of tendon sheaths from a vein. In a follow-up study of 54 cases the authors evaluated results from 1-6 years perspectively by means of two methods. Two thirds of their cases are classified as "excellent" or "good". The evaluation by means of two methods provides interesting comparisons. The authors support the evaluating method of Buck-Gramcko, Dietrich and Gögge, and they particularly stress the necessity of registering preoperative states in evaluating results of the flexor tendon injuries.

Adult↗

Association of posterior tibial tendon injury with spring ligament injury, sinus tarsi abnormality, and plantar fasciitis on MR imaging.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of abnormalities of the spring ligament, sinus tarsi, and plantar fascia revealed on MR imaging in a group of patients with advanced injury of the posterior tibial tendon. MATERIALS AND METHODS; MR images from 25 patients with advanced posterior tibial tendon injury were retrospectively examined for spring ligament, sinus tarsi, and plantar fascia abnormalities. These images were randomly compared with those obtained from 25 control patients with normal-appearing posterior tibial tendons. RESULTS: The spring ligament was abnormal in 23 (92%) of 25 patients with a posterior tibial tendon injury and seven (28%) of 25 patients with a normal posterior tibial tendon (p < 0.0001). The sinus tarsi was abnormal in 18 (72%) of 25 patients with posterior tibial tendon injury and nine (36%) of 25 patients with a normal posterior tibial tendon (p < 0.0132). The plantar fascia was abnormal in seven (32%) of 22 patients with posterior tibial tendon injury and two (9%) of 22 patients with a normal posterior tibial tendon (p < 0.0768). Two or more associated abnormalities were present in 20 (80%) of 25 patients with posterior tibial tendon injury and four (16%) of 25 patients with a normal posterior tibial tendon (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Advanced posterior tibial tendon injury has a high association with spring ligament and sinus tarsi abnormalities on MR imaging. There was a low association between advanced posterior tibial tendon injury and plantar fascia abnormality. Patients with posterior tibial tendon injury often have abnormalities of two or more associated structures.

Adult↗

Hand tendon injuries in athletics.

Hand tendon injuries may be caused by acute trauma or chronic overuse. Although these injuries are common in athletics, specific diagnoses can be difficult to make and are often delayed. Early diagnosis is the key to a good outcome. Most hand tendon injuries do well with nonoperative treatment when initiated early. Long-term disruption of the delicate balance of muscle forces in the hand will lead to secondary changes that are often difficult to correct. Delay in treatment of overuse injuries may produce chronic inflammation that does not respond to conservative care and requires operative management. A sound knowledge of hand anatomy, awareness of the differential diagnosis, and a high index of suspicion are needed for proper care of the athletic hand injury.

Acute Disease↗

Flexor tendon injuries in children.

Flexor tendon injuries in adults differ from those in children. 38 children (22 male and 16 female) with a mean age of 6.7 years were treated for flexor tendon injuries by primary suture and controlled mobilization between 1985 and 1992. 53 flexor tendons were injured (average 1.5 digits per patient) and the injury most commonly affected the little finger (23 patients). 60% of injuries occurred in zone 2. Using Lister's criteria, 82% achieved excellent or good results. Repair of both FDS and FDP was better than repair of FDP alone, even in zone 2. There were three tendon ruptures (all classified as poor results) and one other poor result occurred in a zone 2 injury with an associated ulnar nerve palsy. The outcome after flexor tendon repair in children is better than in adults in our hands because rapid healing of tendons occurs in children. No child has yet required tenolysis because in children adhesions are more pliable. Both flexor tendons should be repaired irrespective of the zone of injury. A functional hand can be expected after flexor tendon repair in children.

Adolescent↗

Flexor tendon injuries. Part 4. Staged flexor tendon reconstruction and restoration of the flexor pulley.

Staged reconstruction of the flexor tendon is discussed and several surgical techniques involving implantation of a silicone or silicone-Dacron-reinforced gliding prosthesis into a scarred flexor tendon bed are described. Flexor pulley restoration and the importance of maintaining strong pulley support are discussed and surgical techniques including those for flexor tendon grafting and reconstruction are described. Though the results of these procedures leave much to be desired, the proper technique utilized under the right circumstances can restore satisfactory function following interruption or destruction of flexor tendons.

Finger Joint↗

Reconstruction of neglected Achilles tendon injury.

Chronic Achilles tendon injuries are debilitating injuries that are often difficult to treat. A review of previously reported procedures is presented. A new technique for repair is presented utilizing a transfer of the flexor hallicus longus muscle and tendon to provide a dynamic repair. A review of the clinical outcome from this procedure is provided.

Achilles Tendon↗

Zone I flexor tendon injuries.

Zone I flexor tendon injuries entail injuries to the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon. These injuries occur distal to the superficialis insertion over the middle phalanx or proximal distal phalanx, and as such are isolated injuries to the FDP. The mechanism most commonly is closed avulsion from the distal phalanx or a laceration, but other mechanisms such as open avulsion or crush injury can occur. On physical examination, the cascade of the fingers will be disrupted, and distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint flexion must be isolated to determine if the FDP tendon is continuous, as other mechanisms are present to enable finger flexion at the other joints.

Finger Injuries↗

[Single-stage flexor tendoplasty in the treatment of flexor tendon injuries].

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated tendon reconstruction with one-stage tendon grafting in flexor tendon injuries in which primary repair was not considered because of delay in treatment or of inappropriate circumstances on the part of the wound and the patient. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients (29 males, 8 females; mean age 20.5 years; range 4 to 52 years) underwent single-stage flexor tendoplasty involving 41 fingers. Twenty-eight patients had zone II injuries. The mean duration from trauma to surgery was one month (range 3 to 6 weeks). Tendon grafts were obtained from the palmaris longus in 26 repairs, flexor digitorum superficialis in 14 repairs, and flexor carpi radialis in one repair. Early passive rehabilitation was administered after surgery. Improvement in the flexion motion was calculated using the Strickland formula. The results were compared with respect to the tendon graft used, associated nerve injuries, and the age of the patients (equal to or below 10 years/above 10 years). The mean follow-up was 35 months (range 4 to 83 months). RESULTS: Functional results were excellent in 12 fingers (29.3%), good in 13 fingers (31.7%), moderate in 14 fingers (34.2%), and poor in two fingers (4.9%). Overall, the mean total active movement was 57% (range 22 to 88%). No significant differences were found between the functional results with respect to the tendon graft used, associated nerve injuries, and the age of the patients (ANOVA, p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Single-stage flexor tendoplasty seems to be an appropriate choice of treatment for flexor tendon injuries where local wound conditions and decreased tendon length prevent primary repair, provided that the pulley system remains intact.

Adolescent↗

Reduced ankle dorsiflexion range may increase the risk of patellar tendon injury among volleyball players.

Patellar tendon injury, a chronic overuse injury characterised by pain during tendon loading, is common in volleyball players and may profoundly restrict their ability to compete. This cross-sectional study investigated the association between performance factors and the presence of patellar tendon injury. These performance factors (sit and reach flexibility, ankle dorsiflexion range, jump height, ankle plantarflexor strength, years of volleyball competition and activity level) were measured in 113 male and female volleyball players. Patellar tendon health was determined by measures of pain and ultrasound imaging. The association between these performance factors and patellar tendon health (normal tendon, abnormal imaging without pain, abnormal imaging with pain) was investigated using analysis of variance. Only reduced ankle dorsiflexion range was associated with patellar tendinopathy (p<0.05). As coupling between ankle dorsiflexion and eccentric contraction of the calf muscle is important in absorbing lower limb force when landing from a jump, reduced ankle dorsiflexion range may increase the risk of patellar tendinopathy.

Adult↗

Ultrasonic assistance in the diagnosis of hand flexor tendon injuries.

In contrast to routine flexor tendon injuries, flexor tendon ruptures following blunt injury or re-ruptures following repair can be difficult to diagnose. The authors investigated the efficacy of using ultrasound to assist in the diagnosis. From 1996 to 1997, 8 patients underwent evaluation of the flexor tendons using an ATL HDI-3000 ultrasound machine with a high-resolution, 5 to 9-MHz hockey stick linear probe. Dynamic evaluation was performed in real time, simulating clinical symptoms. Six patients underwent surgical exploration. Sonographic diagnosis and intraoperative findings were correlated. Ultrasound was used to diagnose 3 patients with ruptured flexor digitorum profundus tendons. Mechanisms of injury included forceful extension, penetrating injury, and delayed rupture 3 weeks after tendon repair. Subsequent surgical exploration confirmed the ruptures and location of the stumps. Five patients had intact flexor tendons by ultrasound after forceful extension, penetrating injury, phalangeal fracture, crush injury, and unknown etiology. In 3 patients who underwent surgery for tenolysis, scar release, or arthrodesis, the flexor tendons were found to be intact, as predicted by ultrasound. The authors found ultrasound to be accurate in diagnosing the integrity of flexor tendons and in localizing the ruptured ends. They conclude that ultrasound is helpful in evaluating equivocal flexor tendon injuries.

Adult↗

The guanine-thymine dinucleotide repeat polymorphism within the tenascin-C gene is associated with achilles tendon injuries.

BACKGROUND: Although there is a high incidence of tendon injury as a result of participation in physical activity, the mechanisms responsible for such injuries are poorly understood. Investigators have suggested that some people may have a genetic predisposition to develop tendon injuries; in particular, genes on the tip of the long arm of chromosome 9 might, at least in part, be associated with this condition. The tenascin-C gene, which has been mapped to chromosome 9q32-q34, encodes for a structural component of tendons. HYPOTHESIS: The tenascin-C gene is associated with Achilles tendon injury. STUDY DESIGN: Case control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 114 physically active white subjects with symptoms of Achilles tendon injury and 127 asymptomatic, physically active white control subjects were genotyped for the guanine-thymine dinucleotide repeat polymorphism within the tenascin-C gene. RESULTS: A significant difference in the allele frequencies of this polymorphism existed between the 2 groups of subjects (chi(2) = 51.0, P = .001). The frequencies of the alleles containing 12 repeats (symptomatic group, 18.9% vs control group, 10.2%) and 14 repeats (symptomatic group, 9.2% vs control group, 0.8%) were significantly higher in the symptomatic group, while the frequencies of the alleles containing 13 repeats (symptomatic group, 8.8% vs control group, 24.0%) and 17 repeats (symptomatic group, 7.5% vs control group, 20.1%) were significantly lower in this same group. Subjects who were homozygous or heterozygous for the underrepresented alleles (13 and 17 repeats) but who did not possess an overrepresented allele (12 and 14 repeats) may have a lower risk of developing Achilles tendon injuries (odds ratio, 6.2; 95% confidence interval, 3.5-11.0; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The guanine-thymine dinucleotide repeat polymorphism within the tenascin-C gene is associated with Achilles tendon injury. Alleles containing 12 and 14 guanine-thymine repeats were overrepresented in subjects with tendon injuries, while the alleles containing 13 and 17 repeats were underrepresented. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Persons who have variants of the tenascin-C gene with 12 and 14 guanine-thymine repeats appear to have a 6-fold risk of developing Achilles tendon injuries.

Achilles Tendon↗

Functional outcome in patients with zone V flexor tendon injuries.

INTRODUCTION: Zone V flexor tendon injuries may involve major nerves and arteries as well as the wrist and finger flexors. Although these injuries are not infrequent, few studies have reported functional outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional outcome in patients with flexor tendon repairs in zone V. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients with repaired zone V flexor tendon injuries were followed up for an average of 20 months. The postoperative rehabilitation program consisted of a combined regime of modified Kleinert and modified Duran techniques. Outcome parameters were hand function according to the Buck-Gramcko assessment system, grip and key pinch strength values, and return to work status. RESULTS: Functional results were excellent in 92.8% of the digits, good in 1.4%, and poor in 5.8%. Grip strength recovered to an average of 77% and pinch strength to 74% of the uninjured hand. Two tendon ruptures occurred in a patient, and tenolysis was required in 3 patients. Of 15 patients who were employed at the time of injury, 13 returned to their original occupations. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory functional results can be obtained when proper surgical technique is coupled with careful postoperative management in patients with zone V flexor tendon injuries.

Adolescent↗