Protect Tendon Repairs, Preserve Range of Motion

Scarring and adhesion to adjacent soft tissue is the most common complication after tendon repair, restricting patients’ range of motion and preventing their return to normal activity. Kerecis SurgiBind® Tendon Protect was designed to address this challenge.

Applied on or around the repaired tendon, SurgiBind Tendon Protect provides a protective covering that may help minimize scarring and adhesions — supporting healing during the critical post-operative phase and helping patients preserve their range of motion.

Kerecis for Foot & Ankle Surgery

Natural components[1,2] create a protective environment around the repaired tendon

May help reduce scar tissue and adhesions,[3] supporting improved post-op range of motion

Acts as a natural bacterial barrier during early healing[4]

Why Tendon Repairs Are at Risk in the Foot & Ankle

Tendon repairs in the foot and ankle are particularly vulnerable to complications due to:

Limited blood supply, which can affect healing and increase re-tear risk
Early return to high-impact activities, placing stress on the repair
High-velocity motion and anatomical positioning, which may contribute to scar tissue and adhesions
Age-related reductions in healing capacity, combined with high mechanical forces
Lateral tendon involvement, where stabilization demands increase the risk of subluxation if not properly protected

These factors make early protection of the repair site critical to support healing and functional recovery.

What Is SurgiBind Tendon Protect?

SurgiBind Tendon Protect is a sterile, implantable medical device made from intact fish skin, intended for one-time use in the management and protection of tendon injuries.

It is designed to be applied on or around a newly repaired tendon, providing a protective covering during healing.

Specially Designed for Foot & Ankle Tendon Repairs

SurgiBind Tendon Protect leverages the same intact fish skin used across Kerecis’ portfolio, processed using our EnviroIntact® method to preserve the natural structure,[4] porosity,[1,5] and molecular content[1,2] of the graft. The intact fish skin retains its:

Fatty acids
Native collagen architecture
Elastin
Glycosaminoglycans
Proteoglycans

Together, these natural components create a protective environment around the tendon during the inflammatory phase of healing, when adhesion formation and scarring can compromise outcomes.

Foot and ankle tendon repair - surgibind

Why Surgeons Choose Tendon Protect

When applied after tendon repairs, SurgiBind Tendon Protect:

Protects the repaired tendon
May help reduce scar tissue and adhesions
Supports improved post-operative range of motion
Acts as a natural barrier during early healing

Designed with optimal handling in mind, SurgiBind Tendon Protect is robust enough to be manipulated during placement and can be applied on or around the repaired tendon and sutured to itself to help maintain coverage during early healing.

With sizes appropriate for lower-extremity tendon procedures, Tendon Protect integrates easily into your standard foot and ankle surgical workflows.

Rigid Contracture of Achilles Tendon

Check out this rigid contracture of an Achilles tendon on a 71-year-old patient, repaired and then protected with Kerecis SurgiBind Tendon Protect, with no adhesions, complications, or movement restrictions following a full neurological workup:

Dr. James Cottom

, DPM, FACFAS

Trauma and Reconstructive Surgeon and Director of the Florida Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Center Fellowship

Achilles Tendon Repair

Initial Presentation

POD #0

Achilles Tendon repaired

Kerecis wrapped around Achilles Tendon

2 Months Post Operation

No complication or movement restrictions.

I use SurgiBind Tendon Protect to help protect newly-repaired tendons. It gives me peace of mind that the repair will last.

Christopher Winters

, DPM

Ascension St. Vincent Hospital - Indianapolis

Dr. Christopher Winters is a paid consultant of Kerecis

Learn More About Tendon Protection in Foot & Ankle Surgery

Discover how SurgiBind Tendon Protect can support your tendon repair outcomes:

SurgiBind Tendon Protect is NOT INDICATED to replace or repair the damaged tendon or to reinforce the strength of any tendon repair.

Important Information

This website and its content is not intended to provide diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice. Products, services, information, and other content provided on this website, including information provided directly or through links to third-party websites, are for informational purposes only. Information on this website should not be considered a substitute for professional advice from a healthcare provider. Always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional regarding any medical or health-related diagnosis or treatment options.

Products and their variations may not be available in all countries and could be known under different trade names. Products, product names, indications, and claims vary by jurisdiction. Always verify with your local healthcare professional and consult the printed package information before use. Information on this website may not be current and might not reflect the latest product labeling – please refer to latest IFU’s on the website. For questions about product availability, please contact your Kerecis representative or use the contact form on our website.

Products are derived from fish sources and should not be used in patients with a known allergy to fish or sensitivity to fish products. Note that fish allergy is distinct from shellfish allergy. Do not apply fish skin products over infected or deteriorating wounds until the underlying cause has been resolved.

SurgiClose Silicone and Shield products contain silicone and are not suitable for patients with silicone sensitivity.
SurgiBind is not indicated for procedures requiring load-bearing support, such as hernia repair, for intraperitoneal organ contact, or where a bridging effect is needed.
SurgiBind Tendon Protect is not indicated to replace or repair the damaged tendon or to reinforce the strength of any tendon repair.
Always follow the product’s labeling for indications and contraindications.

A surgeon must always rely on their professional clinical judgment when deciding whether to use a specific product for a patient. Kerecis does not dispense medical advice and strongly recommends that surgeons be adequately trained in the use of its products before employing them in surgical procedures. The information provided on this website is intended to demonstrate the product offerings and should not replace the package insert, product label, or instructions for use. For regulatory and medical practice reasons, product availability may vary by market. Contact your Kerecis representative for further clarification.

For single patient use only; do not reuse, reprocess, or re-sterilize.
Discard any unused portions of the product.
Sterile only if the package is unopened and undamaged.
Do not use the product if the package seal has been broken, unintentionally opened, or if handling has caused damage or contamination.
Do not use after the expiration date printed on the product label or packaging.
Remove all non-viable and necrotic tissue prior to application of the product.
Remove exudate and control bleeding prior to product application.
Do not use in patients with known fish allergies.
The product is not designed, sold, or intended for use except as indicated.
No clinical trials have been conducted in pediatric, pregnant, or breastfeeding populations.

Yoon J, Dogeon Yoon, Lee H, et al. Wound healing ability of acellular fish skin and bovine collagen grafts for split-thickness donor sites in burn patients: Characterization of acellular grafts and clinical application. Int J Biol Macromol. 2022;205:452-461. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.055 5.

Kotronoulas A, Jónasdóttir HS, Sigurðardóttir RS, Halldórsson S, Haraldsson GG, Rolfsson Ó. Wound healing grafts: Omega-3 fatty acid lipid content differentiates the lipid profiles of acellular Atlantic cod skin from traditional dermal substitutes. J Tissue Eng Regen Med. 2020;14(3):441-451. doi:10.1002/ term.3005

Lacqua MJ. The use of intact fish-skin wrap in preventing adhesions during tendon repair: A report of two cases. Edorium J Orthop 2021;7:100018O03ML2021.

⁴

Magnusson S, Baldursson BT, Kjartansson H, Rolfsson O, Sigurjonsson GF. Regenerative and Antibacterial Properties of Acellular Fish Skin Grafts and Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane: Implications for Tissue Preservation in Combat Casualty Care. Mil Med. 2017;182(S1):383-388. doi:10.7205/ MILMED-D-16-00142

⁵

Wang Y, Xu R, He W, et al. Three-Dimensional Histological Structures of the Human Dermis. Tissue Eng Part C Methods. 2015;21(9):932-944. doi:10.1089/ten.tec.2014.0578

Need more information?

From the town of Isafjordur in northwest Iceland, Kerecis develops, manufactures, and sells patented fish skin soft tissue regeneration products that have regulatory approval in the United States, Europe and several other jurisdictions.