Retardation of finger growth after injury to the flexor tendons.

The absence of any part of the total mechanical force (i.e., flexor tendons) may be responsible for retardation of bone growth during a child's growth phase. The cause of retardation may be dedifferentiation of cartilage cells at the epiphyseal plate. Four cases in which unrepaired flexor tendons in digits caused retardation of growth illustrate this possible phenomenon. We feel that this is not a well recognized problem and thus deserves mention to stimulate further study. We believe that meticulous primary repair in children is desirable not only to preserve function, but also to prevent growth disturbances.