Outcomes of flexor tendon repairs in the zone 1 subzones with an immobilization protocol

Abstract

We report on the outcomes of flexor tendon repair in zone 1 subzones with an immobilization protocol in four fingers in four consecutive patients (29% of the patients undergoing zone 1 tendon repairs in the same period). One finger had a zone 1A injury, two had zone 1B injuries, and one had a zone 1C injury. The mean active range of motion of the distal interphalangeal joint was 34°. Using Moiemen’s criteria, one finger (zone 1A) was rated as excellent and three as poor. Not all zone 1 injuries treated with immobilization protocols had poor outcomes in our series. The functional results of an immobilization protocol for zone 1A seemed to be superior to those for zones 1B and 1C. We speculate that differences in the local anatomy of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon and neighboring structures may influence the outcomes in the zone 1 subzones with an immobilization protocol.