A Novel Flexor Tendon Repair Device: Biomechanical Testing in Cadaver Tendon and In-Vivo Verification Using a Rabbit Model

The digital flexor tendons of the hand, including the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), are responsible for enabling finger flexion and gripping. Injuries involving a partial or complete laceration to the digital flexor tendons are common and associated with a high incidence of morbidity [1]. The current state of the art for flexor tendon repair is the use of two or more core sutures in combination with an epitendinous circumferential suture. There are inherent limitations to suture based methods, including a high level of skill required to perform the suture repair, increased surgical time and the tendency for sutures to strangulate the tissue (creating local tissue ischemia). Suture based repairs often result in sub-optimal clinical outcomes, with reported failure rates ranging from 4%–10% [2]. In order to address these limitations, a novel non-suture based repair device has been developed. The objectives of this study were twofold. The first objective was to determine the gapping strength of the device in cadaver FDP tendons so that comparisons could be made to values reported in the literature for suture based repairs. The second objective was to determine the in-vivo capability of the device to facilitate tendon repair, relative to a suture control, in a rabbit model at a five week time point.