The rotator cuff musculature imparts dynamic stability to the glenohumeral joint. In particular, the balance between the subscapularis anteriorly and the infraspinatus posteriorly, often referred to as the rotator cuff "force couple," is critical for concavity compression and concentric rotation of the humeral head. Restoration of this anterior-posterior force balance after chronic, massive rot...

During the last 20 years there have been significant innovations in injury repair and aftercare for patients who sustain zone 2 flexor tendon injuries. Improvements in our understanding of the mechanisms of repair and the variables that impact the function of the repair site have resulted in outcome improvements. The purpose of this article is to review advances in flexor tendon surgery and to ...

Chitosan bears numerous properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxicity making it suitable for use in different biomedical fields. Zinc (Zn) is required for fibroblasts proliferation and collagen synthesis as essential elements of wound healing. Its nanoparticles are well known for their capability to enhance wound healing by cell adhesion and migration improvement throu...

Flexor tendon injuries are a common clinical problem, and repairs are frequently complicated by post-operative adhesions forming between the tendon and surrounding soft tissue. Prostaglandin E2 and the EP4 receptor have been implicated in this process following tendon injury; thus, we hypothesized that inhibiting EP4 after tendon injury would attenuate adhesion formation. A model of flexor tend...

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the advantages of an early active motion rehabilitation protocol after flexor tendon repair of the hand with the Teno Fix system. Patients with Zone II flexor tendon lacerations repaired with the Teno Fix system will undergo a rigorous early active motion protocol developed at the New York Orthopedic Hospital, starting post-op day 3. Each patient will be...

Tendinopathy is a debilitating musculoskeletal condition which can cause significant pain and lead to complete rupture of the tendon, which often requires surgical repair. Due in part to the large spectrum of tendon pathologies, these disorders continue to be a clinical challenge. Animal models are often used in this field of research as they offer an attractive framework to examine the cascade...

Over the past five decades we have seen numerous iterations of suture repair methods for tendon. The pursuit of the ultimate repair has led to many repair methods being described. This comprehensive compilation of the suture repair techniques will describe the factors that affect repair success, including repair strength, gapping resistance, glide and rehabilitation. Different approaches to rej...

The establishment of a suitable animal model of repair of the rotator cuff is difficult since the presence of a true rotator cuff anatomically appears to be restricted almost exclusively to advanced primates. Our observational study describes the healing process after repair of the cuff in a primate model. Lesions were prepared and repaired in eight 'middle-aged' baboons. Two each were killed a...

BACKGROUND Panga or machete attacks are a common cause of significant upper-limb trauma in South Africa. Pangas are a multipurpose household tool used predominantly for foraging and agricultural purposes and are highly contaminated. While some centres advocate immediate primary repair if no concern exists regarding the risk of infection, others delay definitive repair until satisfied there is n...

Tendon never restores the complete biological and mechanical properties after healing. Bone marrow and recently adipose tissue have been used as the sources of mesenchymal stem cells, which have been proven to enhance tendon healing. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF), derived from adipose tissue by an enzymatic digestion, represents an alternative source of multipotent cells, which undergo differ...