Fig. 3.

Typical observations during surgical exploration and histological analysis six weeks after flexor digitorum profundus tendon repair, indicating failure of the repair with a scarred digit. A: The distal ruptured-tendon stump (2) and scar and adhesion formation at the repaired tendon end (1). A1: Histological specimen of the distal tendon stump with scar tissue (H & E, ×20). B: The proximal end of the ruptured repaired tendon was free from adhesions and was folded and enlarged. B1: Histological specimen of the proximal tendon stump (H & E, ×20).