Patient Profile, Injury Pattern, and Treatment of Open Traumatic Tendon Injuries: Experience From a Tertiary Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Background: The incidence of hand injuries, particularly tendon lacerations, has increased following rapid industrialization in Ethiopia. Understanding patient demographics, risk factors, the nature of injuries, management options, and postoperative complications is critical for optimal prevention and care. This study aimed to assess the profile, injury pattern, and treatment of patients with open traumatic tendon injuries at the All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Center Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Methods: This 2-year retrospective review included 239 patients with tendon injuries treated at the All Africa Leprosy Rehabilitation and Training Center Hospital between April 1, 2020, and March 29, 2022. Data on patient demographics, injury characteristics, and treatment were collected and analyzed.

Results: Traumatic tendon injuries occurred primarily in men aged 25-65 years (61.5%). Heavy machinery was the most frequently reported cause of injury (44.4%). Factory workers were the most injured (38.9%). The flexor tendons were more commonly injured (57.3%) than the extensor tendons (34.3%). Nerve injuries were the most frequently associated injuries (49.4%), followed by vascular injuries (31%) and fractures (27.8%). Most of the patients who received treatment were treated with primary muscle and tendon repair (207 patients), followed by tendon grafting (10 patients). Infection was the most frequently identified complication (10%), followed by stiffness (8.4%) and adhesion (4.6%).

Conclusions: Traumatic tendon injuries often affect men in the productive age group and result from machine-related accidents. However, subsequent functional limitations are devastating. Further analytic studies are necessary to demonstrate their association with other causal factors.