A delayed foreign body granuloma associated with polypropylene sutures used in tendon transfer. A case report.

INTRODUCTION: A delayed foreign body reaction to polypropylene sutures has not been previously reported following tendon repair. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 12-year old boy underwent tendon transfer. Tendon repair was done using polypropylene sutures. Five months later, a slowly growing granuloma was seen at the tendon repair site. Skin testing did not show an allergic reaction to the suture. Excision of the granuloma and removal of sutures were curative. Histology confirmed a foreign body granuloma. DISCUSSION: A mass developing several months at the site of tendon repair indicates either an allergic or foreign body reaction to the suture. Skin testing (for allergy) and histological examination of the mass differentiate allergic from foreign body reactions. CONCLUSION: We report on a rare case of a giant granuloma caused by a delayed foreign body reaction to polypropylene sutures used in tendon repair.

A biomechanical study of pediatric flexor profundus tendon repair. Comparing the tensile strengths of 3 suture techniques.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the tensile strength of repaired flexor profundus tendons in young lambs, which would be equivalent to repairs in children older than 2 years of age. METHODS: A comparative in-vitro experimental study conducted at King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 2014 to December 2015. We utilized 30 flexor profundus tendons of young lambs with a width of 4 mm. All tendons were repaired with a 4-strand repair technique using 4/0 polypropylene core sutures. In group I (n=10 tendons), 2 separate figure-of-eight sutures were applied. In group II (n=10 tendons), simple locking sutures were added to the corners of 2 separate figure-of-eight sutures. In group III (n=10 tendons), the locked cruciate repair was used. All tendon repairs were tested to single-cycle tensile failure. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between groups II and III with regards to gap and breaking forces; and all forces of these 2 groups were significantly higher than the forces in group I. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that 4 mm-wide pediatric flexor tendons allow a 4-strand repair and the use of 4/0 sutures. The use of locking sutures increases the tensile strength to values that may allow protective mobilization in children.