What is Flexor Tendon Repair?

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“Tendon repair is surgery to repair damaged or torn tendons.

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Description

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Tendon repair can be performed using:

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• Local anesthesia (the immediate area of the surgery is pain-free)

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• Regional anesthesia (the local and surrounding areas are pain-free)

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• General anesthesia (the patient is asleep and pain-free

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The surgeon makes a cut on the skin over the injured tendon. The damaged or torn ends of the tendon are sewn together.

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If the tendon has been severely injured, a tendon graft may be needed.

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• In this case, a piece of tendon from the foot, toe, or another part of the body is often used.

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•  If needed, tendons are reattached to the surrounding tissue.

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• The surgeon examines the area to see if there any injuries to nerves and blood vessels. When complete, the wound is closed.

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If the tendon damage is too severe, the repair and reconstruction may have to be done at different times.

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The surgeon will perform one operation to repair part of the injury, and then allow the hand to heal for a few weeks. Another surgery will be later done to complete the reconstruction and repair the tendon.

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Why the Procedure is Performed

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The goal of tendon repair is to bring back normal function of joints or surrounding tissues following a tendon laceration.”

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"Tendon Repair: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 18 Mar. 2014. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002970.htm>.​

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