COMPARATIVE STUDY OF STRENGTH & MORPHOLOGY OF GRAFTED TENDON WITH & WITHOUT FIRST STAGE SILICONE RUBBER ROD IMPLANTATION

Abstract

Tendon grafting procedure is done either by direct first stage tendons graft implantation or as two stage procedure by implanting silicon rubber rod in first stage and then replacing it with a tendon graft in second stage. In this study a research has been carried out to compare strength and morphology of grafted tendons with and with out first stage silicon rubber rod implantation. This is the first research done in medical history to explore whether by doing two stage tendon grafting there is any advantageous effects on strength and morphology of grafted tendon as compared to one stage direct tendon grafting. Although according to J.P Holman (Experimental Methods by J.P Holman) three readings are enough for establishing the tensile strength of any material, however in the study thirty Palmaris Longus tendons of badly mutilated hands (all of them ended in above wrist amputations) were used to get the results. As far as strength and morphology are concerned the results of research are in the favour of two stage tendon grafting, with use of silicon rod in the first stage