Diagnostic Utility of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Early Postoperative Evaluation of Posttraumatic Repaired Hand Tendons.
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: MSK US.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Ultrasound Evaluation, Hand Tendon Injury. Basic parameters: No limits · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Egypt
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
To evaluate the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound in the early postoperative period following hand tendon repair. By assessing its diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility, the study seeks to determine whether routine MSK-US surveillance can contribute to earlier detection of complications, guide timely management decisions, and ultimately improve functional outcomes in patients undergoing hand tendon surgery.
Detailed description
Hand tendon injuries are among the most frequent traumatic lesions of the upper extremity, representing a major cause of emergency and elective surgeries. Despite advances in surgical techniques, these injuries remain challenging due to the risk of postoperative complications such as rupture, adhesions, infection, and impaired tendon gliding. Early recognition of such complications is essential to prevent long-term stiffness, disability, and functional loss .
Postoperative assessment traditionally relies on clinical examination, but this may be limited by pain, swelling, dressings, or poor patient compliance, and subtle complications may not be evident until significant dysfunction develops. Hence, there is a need for a reliable, non-invasive modality to aid early detection and guide timely intervention.
Musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) has become an important tool for evaluating tendon injuries. It offers high spatial resolution, dynamic real-time imaging, absence of ionizing radiation, cost-effectiveness, and broad availability. In postoperative settings, MSK-US provides valuable information on tendon continuity, vascularity, surrounding soft tissue changes, and the presence of adhesions or fluid collections. Its ability to assess tendon motion dynamically further enhances its role in monitoring functional recovery.
Evidence indicates that MSK-US can detect complications such as rerupture, adhesions, or infection earlier than clinical examination, supporting its role as an adjunctive modality in follow-up. However, standardized use of ultrasound in routine postoperative surveillance of repaired hand tendons has not yet been established.
Interventions
- Device MSK US
Focus on early postoperative (first 6-12 weeks) assessment after post-traumatic tendon repair. Utilization of high-frequency dynamic ultrasound rather than static imaging or delayed MRI. Standardized scanning protocol and blinded interpretation to ensure diagnostic validity. Designed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of MSK-US compared with conventional clinical follow-up methods.
Primary outcome measures
- Diagnostic accuracy of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) for detecting clinically significant postoperative complications [Time frame: Up to 12 weeks after surgical repair]
Secondary outcome measures (1)
- Time from surgery to detection of postoperative complication by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) versus clinical assessment [Time frame: Up to 12 weeks after surgical repair]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: adults with primary hand tendon repair and able to return for US follow-up.
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Exclusion Criteria: Patients with collagen disease, congenital hand deformities, bone fractures, revision/staged repairs, active infection/poor wound access, or can't attend follow-up.
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Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
Study locations
Egypt · 1 center
- Assiut University — Asyut
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07238517 · MSK-US repaired hand tendon