Ultrasound Guided Tenotomy with TenJet Improves Functional Outcomes at 1 Year for Common Flexor Tendinopathy: A Retrospective Review

Background Common flexor tendinopathy is a common cause of medial elbow pain. Ultrasound-guided minimally invasive tenotomy (MIT) has been utilized successfully as a treatment for several years, but the use of TenJet device in the medial elbow has not been well described. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of MIT with TenJet in patients who failed nonsurgical management of common flexor tendinopathy in an outpatient setting. Methods A total of 18 patients with common flexor tendinopathy who failed nonsurgical treatment who underwent ultrasound-guided MIT with TenJet device in the outpatient setting at a single institution. All patients, prior to MIT underwent diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound showing common flexor tendinosis interpreted by a fellowship trained board-certified musculoskeletal radiologist or primary sports medicine physician. Patients were measured with the Oxford Elbow Score (OES) prior to the procedure and at 1 year follow up. Exclusion criteria included prior corticosteroid injection within the past 6 weeks prior to intervention, active local or systemic infection, ulnar nerve subluxation, complete full thickness tear of the common flexor tendon and pregnancy. Results Total OES and subdomain pain, function, and social-psychological scores had a statistically significant difference in baseline to 1-year (P<0.001). MCID was achieved in n=15 (83.3%) of patients within the function and social-psychological domain at 1 year. While MCID was achieved in n=12 (66.67) patients for pain at 1 year. No complications were reported, and no patients required open surgical intervention. Conclusions MIT with TenJet is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated treatment for common flexor tendinopathy with no reported complications or further surgical intervention required one-year post procedure. Additional studies should be performed with a larger population comparing MIT to other current practice modalities.