Authors
Gabriele Delia, Michele Rosario Colonna, Fabio Di Blasi, Michele Maruccia, Pasqualina Laganà, Cristina Genovese, Giovanni Genovese, Fabiana Battaglia
Published in
Injury. Volume 57. Issue 10. Pages 113691. Sep 05, 2026. Epub Sep 05, 2026.
Abstract
Hand tendon injuries represent a major challenge in reconstructive surgery, with profound consequences on function, quality of life, and socioeconomic costs. Despite advances in surgical techniques and rehabilitation protocols, functional recovery often remains suboptimal, and comprehensive analyses addressing both clinical and economic outcomes are limited, particularly in Southern Europe.
We conducted a five-year retrospective cohort study including 206 patients who underwent surgical repair of hand tendon injuries at the Plastic Surgery Unit of university hospital (2020-2024). Data collected comprised demographics, injury characteristics, occupation, type of trauma, rehabilitation pathway, and functional outcomes. Functional recovery was assessed through grip strength (digital dynamometer) and range of motion (goniometer). Socioeconomic impact was evaluated based on work absenteeism.
Extensor tendon injuries were more common than flexor lesions (66% vs. 34%), with the index finger being the most affected digit. The majority of patients were male (83.5%), and patients aged 21-60 years represented the largest proportion of the cohort. Functional recovery was favorable overall, with mean grip strength reaching 87% and mobility 76% of expected values; however, the ring finger demonstrated the poorest outcomes. In descriptive analyses, patients who underwent postoperative rehabilitation showed higher functional-recovery values than those who did not undergo rehabilitation. The mean absence from work was 69.5 days; employees reported a mean absence of approximately 80.7 days, whereas self-employed participants reported 42.3 days.
Hand tendon injuries impose a significant clinical and socioeconomic burden. Extensor tendons and the index finger were most commonly involved, and the ring finger exhibited the lowest functional recovery. Postoperative rehabilitation was descriptively associated with better functional outcomes; however, the observational study design does not allow causal inferences to be made. These findings support the need for preventive strategies in both occupational and domestic settings and for further prospective studies of the factors associated with functional recovery.
PMID:
42727178
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 12 Sep 2026.
Read full publication at:
Please sign in
to see all details.
Advertisement
Stats
- Recommendations n/a n/a positive of 0 vote(s)
- Views 5
- Comments 0