The repair of severed tendons within the digital sheath constitutes a complicated surgical problem. The injury and adhesion of the tendons are an important factor for functional return in the hand. On the basis of experimental study, 7 cases of injuries of flexor digitalis tendons have been treated by using silastic artificial tendons since 1982. During the operation the tendon graft was ensheathed in a porous filmy silastic tube, including the sites of anastomosis. This technique can prevent adhesion between tendon and its surrounding tissues. The operation can be performed in one stage. The operative procedure and its indication, reconstruction of the pulley system and the gliding function of the tendon were discussed.

Objective To evaluate the radical debridement and anterior spinal fusion with strut graft for the treatment of spinal tuberculosis. Methods There were 78 cases in this series, 36 males and 42 females. The age was from 15 to 72 years, the mean was 47 years. The involved vertebral bodies were at 2 segments in 29 patients, at 3 segments in 41 patients and at more than 4 segments in 8 patients. The kyphosis was 13～92 degrees with a mean of 34 degrees. Radical debridement and spinal fusion with strut graft were used in all patients. In addition, the spine was instrumented in 3 cases for further stabilization. Strut grafts consist of ribs in 22 cases, iliums in 44 cases, iliums and ribs in 12 cases. Results The period of follow up lasted from 1 to 16 years with a mean of 5.2 years. 98.7% of the patients have good results and 97.4%have solid bony fusion. The kyphosis deformity was 5～62 degrees, the mean was 22 degrees. Conclusion The present results show that the radical debridement and anterior fusion with strut graft was effective for restoring the local anatomical alignment and the stability with high rate of solid bony fusion and lower rate of postoperative low back pain.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a new method to estimate t he effectiveness of thoracolumbar vertebral finite element model. METHODS: A mechanical model of human thoracolumbar vertebrae mo tion segment was made using three-dimensional finite element method and the str ess distribution of vertically compressed thoracolumbar vertebrae was analyzed, meanwhile, 20 patients with burst fracture of thoracolumbar vertebrae were t ested by CT to calculated average CT value at ascertained different points of th oracolumbar vertebrae. The calculated results and effective stress at the same p osition were analyzed with straight line correlation. RESULTS: The stress level of different position of thoracolumba r vertebrae under vertical compressive force was positively correlated with the correlative CT value, and the regressive style, Y=214.028+45.268X, r=0.7386, P<0.05 (n=8) showed a statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: To study mechanism of thoracolumbar vertebrae in juries under different forces has clinical significance.