Early Active Mobilization of Primary Repairs of the Flexor Pollicis Longus Tendon with Two Kessler Two-Strand Core Sutures and a Strengthened Circumferential Suture

This study reports our treatment of divided flexor pollicis longus (FPL) tendons by primary repair from 1999 to 2002. Forty-eight FPL repairs were performed using two Kessler two-strand repairs with a cross-linked Silfverskiöld circumferential suture. All were rehabilitated by early active mobilization. Excellent or good results were observed in 73/77% of cases (White/Buck–Gramcko assessments, respectively). No patients (0%) ruptured their repair as a result of early active mobilization. Two patients (4%) developed post-operative infections with wound and tendon dehiscence. This combination of repairs addresses the problem of rupture of FPL during early mobilization which we experienced in previous studies. Its problems and alternatives are discussed.