Clinical differences between nasogastric tube and Hunter’s rod for staged Zone II flexor tendon reconstruction
Erdem Şahin1
, Ali Özdemir2, Musa Ergin3, Fatih Durgut4, Mehmet Ali Acar5
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Çankaya Private Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye
2Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology and Hand Surgery, Medicine Faculty of Selçuk University, Konya, Türkiye
3Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Cihanbeyli State Hospital, Konya, Türkiye
4Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Medicine Faculty of Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Türkiye
5Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology and Hand Surgery, Akademi Meram Private Hospital, Konya, Türkiye
Keywords: Finger, injuries, tendinopathies, tendon release, tendon.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to compare the outcomes of twostage flexor tendon reconstruction in Zone II of the hand and to evaluate the results of a nasogastric tube as a potential alternative to Hunter's rod.
Patients and methods: Between November 2012 and January 2022, a total of 45 patients (26 males, 19 females; median age: 31 years; range, 12 to 61 years) who underwent two-stage flexor tendon reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed. Of the patients 24 underwent nasogastric tube reconstruction (NT group) and 21 underwent Hunter's rod reconstruction (HR group). Patients' demographic and clinical characteristics, the number of surgeries, the occurrence of complications, the presence of infection during the procedure, and the range of motion of the finger joints at the final follow-up examination were recorded. The assessment of the cases was conducted using the total active motion system.
Results: Twenty-four digits underwent two-stage flexor tendon reconstruction with the nasogastric tube. Among these, three index fingers, nine middle fingers, seven ring fingers, and five little fingers were operated. Twenty-one digits underwent two-stage flexor tendon reconstruction using Hunter's rod. Among these, two index fingers, eight middle fingers, six ring fingers, and five little fingers were operated. In the NT group, excellent results were observed in 58.3% (14 digits), good results in 25% (six digits), fair results in 8.3% (two digits), and poor results in 8.3% (two digits). In the HR group, excellent results were seen in 57.1% (12 digits), good results in 33.3% (seven digits), fair results in 4.7% (one digit), and poor results in 4.7% (one digit).
Conclusion: The utilization of a nasogastric tube offers a convenient and cost-effective option to Hunter's rod in the two-stage flexor tendon reconstruction, leading to favorable outcomes characterized by high rates of excellence and improvement, while effectively minimizing the occurrence of complications.
Citation: Şahin E, Özdemir A, Ergin M, Durgut F, Acar MA. Clinical differences between nasogastric tube and Hunter’s rod for staged Zone II flexor tendon reconstruction. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2023;34(3):700-706. doi: 10.52312/jdrs.2023.1231b
The study protocol was approved by the Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine Local Ethics Committee (date: 24.05.2022, no: 2022/252). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Idea/concept: A.Ö., M.A.A.; Design, literature review: E.Ş., F.D.; Control/supervision: A.Ö., M.A.A.; Data collection and/or processing: E.Ş., F.D., M.E.; Analysis and/or interpretation: E.Ş., M.E.; Writing the article: E.Ş.; Critical review: A.Ö.; References and funding: F.D., M.E.; Materials: E.Ş., A.Ö., F.D., M.E., M.A.A.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.
A written informed consent was obtained from each patient.
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.