Comparison of the Outcomes of Flexor Tendon Repair in Zone II Using the Original and Adjusted Strickland Scores and the 400-Points Hand Test

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of flexor tendon repair in zone II and compare two analytic tests – the original and adjusted Strickland scores – and a global hand function test, the 400-points test. Methods: We included 31 consecutive patients (35 fingers) with a mean age of 36 years (range 19–82 years) who underwent surgery for a flexor tendon repair in zone II. All patients were treated in the same healthcare facility by the same surgical team. All the patients were followed and evaluated by the same team of hand therapists. Results: At 3 months after the surgery, we found a good outcome in 26% of patients with the original Strickland score, 66% with the adjusted one and 62% with the 400-points test. Among the 35 fingers, 13 of them were evaluated at 6 months after the surgery. All the scores had improved with 31% good outcomes in the original Strickland score, 77% in the adjusted Strickland score and 87% in the 400-points test. The results were significantly different between the original and adjusted Strickland scores. Good agreement was found between the adjusted Strickland score and the 400-points test. Conclusions: Our results suggest that flexor tendon repair in zone II remains difficult to assess based solely on an analytic test. It should be combined with an objective global hand function test, such as the 400-points test, which appears to correlate with the adjusted Strickland score. Level of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)