Publication details
The Effect of Smoking on Post-operative Finger Range of Motion in Patients with Tendon Grafts
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | In Vivo |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Other medical specializations |
| Keywords | Flexor tendon; hand; tendon graft; smoking; finger range of motion |
| Description | The finger range of motion (ROM) was evaluated in patients with hand flexor tendon replacement using a tendon graft and the effect of smoking was investigated. The first hypothesis was: a tendon graft increases the post-operative ROM. The second hypothesis was: smoking has a negative effect on the final finger ROM. Patients and Methods: Fifty seven autologous tendon grafts in 48 patients were included. The patients were grouped as non-smokers or smokers (“light” or “heavy”). The modified Strickland system and Total Active Motion (TAM) system, were chosen for the evaluation. Results: The first hypothesis was proved by all the measurements. The post-operative status assessed by the Strickland method was different between the non-smokers and smokers with a better score in the smokers. Conclusion: A significant ROM improvement occurs after reconstruction and is even slightly better in smokers than in non-smokers. |