Repair of flexor digitorum profundus avulsions including the palmar plate: a retrospective comparative study of 56 cases.

We retrospectively reviewed 56 fingers with a type 1 flexor digitorum profundus avulsion (jersey finger) injury. Nineteen fingers were treated with a four-strand pull-out suture technique that did not include the distal palmar plate, and 37 were treated with a six-strand pull-out suture technique that included the distal palmar plate. An early active mobilization regimen was used. At follow-up (mean 13 and 14 months, respectively), total active interphalangeal joint motion was significantly better in the six-strand/palmar plate group, as were the results assessed with the Strickland-Glogovac grading system and patient satisfaction according to the Stark criteria. No repair ruptures occurred in this group versus two ruptures in the four-strand/no-palmar-plate group. We consider that the better results can be attributed to a stronger repair, which facilitated early active mobilization. Level of evidence: III.