Tendon Repair

Tendon repair can be performed using: Local anesthesia (the immediate area of the surgery is pain-free) Regional anesthesia (the local and surrounding areas are pain-free) General anesthesia (the patient is asleep and pain-free) The surgeon makes a cut on the skin over the injured tendon. The damaged or torn ends of the tendon are sewn together. If the tendon has been severely injured, a tendon graft may be needed. In this case, a piece of tendon from the foot, toe, or another part of the body is often used. If needed, tendons are reattached to the surrounding tissue. The surgeon examines the area to see if there are any injuries to nerves and blood vessels. When the repair is complete, the wound is closed. If the tendon damage is too severe, the repair and reconstruction may have to be done at different times. The surgeon will perform one surgery to repair part of the injury, and then allow the hand to heal for a few weeks. Another surgery will be done later to complete the reconstruction and repair the tendon.