Closed avulsion of flexor digitorum profundus of the ring finger: Does the surgical technique really change the outcome?
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Non-randomized comparative cohort study evaluating three surgical fixation techniques
PubMed 40235666 · doi:10.1016/j.jcot.2025.102956
What was done
Researchers evaluated 66 patients with closed Leddy and Packer Type II flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) avulsion of the ring finger. Patients underwent surgical repair using one of three fixation methods: pull-out suture through the fingertip without passing the nail bed, bone anchor, or a combination of both techniques. All patients followed an early controlled active motion rehabilitation protocol. Measured outcomes included total active motion (TAM), recovery time, and complications across the three groups.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, effect sizes, ranges, or statistical test results for TAM, recovery time, or complication rates. The authors report qualitatively that the three surgical procedures demonstrated similar final outcomes and comparable suture strength with good clinical recovery of TAM.
Why it matters
This study compares three commonly used fixation methods for jersey finger under an early active mobilization protocol, suggesting that all three approaches achieve similar functional outcomes.
Limits
The abstract omits all numerical data, p-values, and specific complication counts. The study is non-randomized, and details regarding patient selection, baseline characteristics, follow-up duration, and surgeon variability are not provided in the abstract.