Absorbable sutures behave favourably in vitro and in an animal model. We report the outcome of flexor tendon injuries in a series of 272 consecutive patients treated over 45 months with a mean follow-up of 4 (range 3-12) months. Five hundred and seventy-six tendons were repaired in 416 digits. The patients were not randomised and all repairs were performed using a Strickland four-strand core technique. In 191 (73%) patients an absorbable core suture was used (Group 1) and in 81 (27%) a non-absorbable material was used (Group 2). There were six ruptures (2%) in Group 1 and two (2%) in Group 2. Using the original Strickland criteria, there were 72% excellent/good and 28% fair/poor results in the absorbable core suture group, and 73% and 27%, respectively, in the non-absorbable core suture group. This study suggests that appropriate absorbable core sutures can be used safely for flexor tendon repair.

BackgroundThere is currently only one clinically approved drug, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke. The RhoA pathway, including RhoA and its downstream effector Rho kinase (ROCK), has been identified as a possible therapeutic target. Our aim was to assess the impact of study design characteristics and study quality on reported measures of efficacy and to assess for the presence and impact of publication bias.MethodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on publications describing the efficacy of RhoA and ROCK inhibitors in animal models of focal cerebral ischaemia where outcome was assessed as a change in lesion size or neurobehavioural score, or both.ResultsWe identified 25 published papers which met our inclusion criteria. RhoA and ROCK inhibitors reduced lesion size by 37.3% in models of focal cerebral ischaemia (95% CI, 28.6% to 46.0%, 41 comparisons), and reduced neurobehavioural data by 40.5% (33.4% to 47.7%, 30 comparisons). Overall study quality was low (median=4, interquartile range 3–5) and measures to reduce bias were seldom reported. Publication bias was prevalent and associated with a substantial overstatement of efficacy for lesion size.ConclusionsRhoA and ROCK inhibitors appear to be effective in animal models of stroke. However the low quality score, publication bias and limited number of studies are areas which need attention prior to conducting clinical trials.

Flexor tendon divisions in Zone 1 need to be re-inserted to the distal phalanx. This paper describes the Transverse Intraosseous Loop Technique (TILT) of re-inserting the profundus tendon to the distal phalanx in which an internally placed suture is looped through the bone and tendon interface. It provides a strong repair, which permits the desired tensioning and can be performed in children. Ten of 12 patients' re-insertions using this technique achieved full recovery while two developed fixed flexion contractures.

Despite being functionally important, the dart throwing motion is difficult to assess accurately through goniometry. The objectives of this study were to describe a method for reliably quantifying the dart throwing motion using goniometric measurements within a healthy population. Wrist kinematics of 24 healthy participants were assessed using goniometry and optical motion tracking. Three wrist angles were measured at the starting and ending points of the motion: flexion–extension, radial–ulnar deviation and dart throwing motion angle. The orientation of the dart throwing motion plane relative to the flexion–extension axis ranged between 28° and 57° among the tested population. Plane orientations derived from optical motion capture differed from those calculated through goniometry by 25°. An equation to correct the estimation of the plane from goniometry measurements was derived. This was applied and differences in the orientation of the plane were reduced to non-significant levels, enabling the dart throwing motion to be measured using goniometry alone.

A previous ultrasound study showed inflammation around the extensor pollicis longus tendon and surrounding structures at 6 weeks after manipulation, with or without pin fixation, and immobilization for distal radius fracture. Ultrasound examination after plating of distal radius fracture followed by early active mobilization of the wrist showed a short-lived inflammatory response, evident at 2 weeks but not at 6 weeks, around the extensor pollicis longus tendon (26 wrists examined) and flexor pollicis longus tendon (18 wrists examined). Early active mobilization of the wrist appears to limit the duration of inflammation around these tendons.