2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (35): 5676-5684

Tendon injury and repair of the hand: analysis of epidemiological factors in 737 cases

Chen Dongsheng, Jia Qiyu, Abudusalamu·Alimujiang, Guo Jian, Feng Dongwei, Wu Tong, Ma Chuang   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: There is a lack of epidemiological investigations on tendon injuries of the hand at both a domestic and international level. The population of flexor and extensor tendon injuries from Xinjiang has been on the rise in recent years. However, a more complete epidemiological investigation of their injury, treatment, and even prognosis has not been reported.
OBJECTIVE: To analyze the prevalence trends and prognostic distribution characteristics of patients with hand tendon injuries, to investigate the prognostic functional recovery of patients with hand tendon injuries, to provide targeted population interventions and improve the intervention effects, and to explore the correlation between flexor and extensor tendon injury factors and prognosis.
METHODS: Clinical data of patients with hand tendon injuries in the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from January 2012 to December 2019 were collected by uniformly compiling an epidemiological questionnaire on hand tendon injuries in Xinjiang. The patients’ personal information, cause of injury, time of injury, season of injury, type of injured tendon, injury tendon zones, injured hand, injury comorbidity, excellent rate of total active motion of the fingers after treatment, and postoperative complications were collected. A retrospective analysis of the above information and their correlations was performed and epidemiological characterization of tendon injuries of the hand was performed.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) There were significant differences in the distribution of patients by sex and age (P < 0.05), with the most patients aged 21-30 years old and more male patients than female patients (5.30:1). (2) There were significant differences in the distribution of causes of injury (P < 0.05), with glass cuts being the highest, accounting for 24.4%. (3) The number of injury cases increased yearly (P < 0.01), and there was a significant difference in the seasonal distribution of injury time (P < 0.01), with the most injury cases in summer (35.7%). (4) There was a significant difference in the distribution of flexor and extensor tendons and hands (P < 0.05), with more right-handed than left-handed (1.05:1). (5) There was a significant difference in the distribution of flexor and extensor tendons and comorbidities (P < 0.05), flexor tendon injury was prone to nerve and vascular injury, and extensor tendon injury was prone to fracture of the hand. (6) The postoperative tendon adhesion rate in patients with hand tendon injury was 8.8%, and the rates of tendon adhesion and joint stiffness after functional exercise were significantly lower than those in patients without functional exercise (P < 0.05). The postoperative excellent rate of total active motion was significantly higher in patients with functional exercise than those without functional exercise (P < 0.01). (7) All these findings suggest that there is a certain distribution pattern of inpatients with hand tendon injuries in terms of sex, age, cause of injury, time of injury, injury tendon zones, flexor and extensor tendon types, comorbidity and post-treatment tendon adhesion rate, joint stiffness rate, and total active motion excellent rate. Further research will be conducted on the prevention and treatment strategies of tendon injuries and post-treatment tendon adhesions in the hand.
Key words: hand, tendon injury, tendon adhesion, joint stiffness, flexor, extensor, quality of life