Bismilla, Shaaheen2017-10-062017-10-062017http://hdl.handle.net/10539/23236Degree of Master of Medicine in Orthopaedic surgery Department of Orthopaedics Faculty of Health Sciences University of WitwatersrandThe hand is an intricate and important body appendage which plays a vital role in our activities of daily living. Flexor tendon injuries to the hand make up a large amount of patients seen at hospitals all over the world. Hand injuries are quite common and contribute to approximately 28% of injuries to the human body. A prospective study was conducted, with patients who had sustained flexor tendon hand injuries. The patients who presented to Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital from 02 March 2015 to 29 July 2015 were included in the study. The aim of this study was to document and identify the causes (mechanism of injury) and demographic details of patients presenting with flexor tendon injuries at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital hands unit. There were 96 patients in the study, with 80 being right hand dominant and 16 being left hand dominant. Zones II and zones III were the most common flexor zones affected (27 each). There was also a significant amount of zone V injuries (23). Zone IV was the least common zone affected (5). The results also showed that the most common injury to flexor tendons of the hands occurred in young adult males, the majority of whom were unemployed. This disproves our hypothesis, as it was hypothesised that most injuries would occur in the work place. This study was undertaken in an attempt to reduce the incidence and frequency of hand injuries in our community, by assessing the common causes and patient particulars of flexor tendon injuries. This information can now be used to teach awareness which now can be used in the work place.enTrigger Finger DisorderFlexor tendon injuries of the hand: Chris Hani Baragwanath academic hospital patient demographicsThesis