The use of Vicryl™ in extensor tendon repairs

Conventionally, tendons are repaired with the strongest possible suture material, usually nonabsorbable in a variety of techniques using two or more strands between the tendon ends. In the initial phase of tendon healing, the repair is almost entirely dependent on the strength of the suture used and sound tendon suturing techniques. While this holds true for the strong flexor tendon system, we question the validity of this approach in the case of extensor tendons. Many of these are flat, and anecdotal evidence suggests that nonabsorbable sutures tend to promote a foreign-body reaction and cause increased tendon tethering. In this article, we seek to confirm that absorbable sutures such as Vicryl™ constitute a superior repair material for extensor tendons.