The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The mechanics of flexor tendon adhesions

The mechanics of flexor tendon adhesions
The mechanics of flexor tendon adhesions
The mechanics of adhesions at a local tissue level have not been extensively studied. This study compared microstrains and macrostrains in adhesions of immobilized and mobilized partially lacerated flexor digitorum profundus tendons in a New Zealand White rabbit model. At 2 weeks, 50 digits were randomized to either gross tensile testing or micromechanical assessment, in which the movement of fluorescently labelled cell nuclei, acting as dynamic markers, was visualized using real-time confocal microscopy. The structural stiffness and load at failure of immobilized adhesions were 140% and 160% of that of mobilized adhesions, respectively, and both differences were statistically significant. Micromechanically, different patterns of loading and failure were observed. Mobilized adhesions exhibited over a three-fold higher local strain, which was less uniformly distributed. Confocal microscopy provided an accurate measure of local strain. For the first time, it has been possible to visualize, define, and quantify local adhesion tissue mechanics. Mobilization appears to favour the formation of sites expressing increased local strain responses or those predisposed to heterogeneity and localized failure
adhesion, confocal, flexor mechanics, mobilization, tendon
555-563
Branford, O.A.
4ecc7401-367d-4660-8d69-4958ea523946
Lee, D.A.
fbbf7169-d08b-4deb-ae87-a2cbd97c58e7
Bader, Dan L.
9884d4f6-2607-4d48-bf0c-62bdcc0d1dbf
Grobbelaar, A.O.
34d9dd2c-fc4d-4bf9-b329-76022e3b37af
Branford, O.A.
4ecc7401-367d-4660-8d69-4958ea523946
Lee, D.A.
fbbf7169-d08b-4deb-ae87-a2cbd97c58e7
Bader, Dan L.
9884d4f6-2607-4d48-bf0c-62bdcc0d1dbf
Grobbelaar, A.O.
34d9dd2c-fc4d-4bf9-b329-76022e3b37af

Branford, O.A., Lee, D.A., Bader, Dan L. and Grobbelaar, A.O. (2012) The mechanics of flexor tendon adhesions. Journal of Hand Surgery (European Volume), 37 (6), 555-563. (doi:10.1177/1753193411432675). (PMID:22170243)

Record type: Article

Abstract

The mechanics of adhesions at a local tissue level have not been extensively studied. This study compared microstrains and macrostrains in adhesions of immobilized and mobilized partially lacerated flexor digitorum profundus tendons in a New Zealand White rabbit model. At 2 weeks, 50 digits were randomized to either gross tensile testing or micromechanical assessment, in which the movement of fluorescently labelled cell nuclei, acting as dynamic markers, was visualized using real-time confocal microscopy. The structural stiffness and load at failure of immobilized adhesions were 140% and 160% of that of mobilized adhesions, respectively, and both differences were statistically significant. Micromechanically, different patterns of loading and failure were observed. Mobilized adhesions exhibited over a three-fold higher local strain, which was less uniformly distributed. Confocal microscopy provided an accurate measure of local strain. For the first time, it has been possible to visualize, define, and quantify local adhesion tissue mechanics. Mobilization appears to favour the formation of sites expressing increased local strain responses or those predisposed to heterogeneity and localized failure

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: July 2012
Keywords: adhesion, confocal, flexor mechanics, mobilization, tendon
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347515
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347515
PURE UUID: f2363598-4336-4318-a1e8-531bdea81d4a
ORCID for Dan L. Bader: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1208-3507

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 23 Jan 2013 09:39
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:48

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: O.A. Branford
Author: D.A. Lee
Author: Dan L. Bader ORCID iD
Author: A.O. Grobbelaar

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×