Diagnostic Utility of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Early Postoperative Evaluation of Posttraumatic Repaired Hand Tendons.

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Ultrasound Evaluation Hand Tendon Injury

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Assiut University

Asyut, Egypt

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

adults with primary hand tendon repair and able to return for US follow-up.

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.

Treatment and study plan

MSK US

Device

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 outcomes

Diagnostic accuracy of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) for detecting clinically significant postoperative complications

Time frame: Up to 12 weeks after surgical repair

The accuracy of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSK-US) in identifying clinically significant postoperative complications following surgical repair of posttraumatic hand tendons.

Complications include rerupture requiring reintervention, deep infection, symptomatic adhesion requiring surgical release, and large seroma or hematoma requiring drainage or evacuation.

Diagnostic accuracy will be determined by comparing MSK-US findings to a composite clinical reference standard consisting of surgical findings, clinical assessment, and microbiological/imaging confirmation.

Accuracy measures will include sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and likelihood ratios.

Secondary outcomes

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

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Abdelazeem Salah Rajeh

CONTACT

[email protected]

+201006603514

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Assiut University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2026
Primary completion: 2027
Study completion: 2027
First posted: Nov 20, 2025
Registry last updated: Nov 20, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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