Just a little update:
The recuperation from the surgery is going well. It will be 3 weeks tomorrow (10/24) since the procedure, and though there's still a little swelling and the tendon is slightly contracted (can't completely straighten the finger yet), the finger has good mobility. Playing is no problem at all, except that some of those chord shapes I described before are still a little bit uncomfortable. But for the most part, I can play pretty much whatever I want.
The stitches have been out for a week, and the incision has healed so well that it's barely noticeable on my hand unless you look for it. The doc did a nice job. :AOK:
Bottom line, if any of you ever run into chronic flexor tendinitis and have this repair procedure recommended to you, my advice would be to go for it. Minor surgery and a quick recuperation cycle. Just make sure you get a surgeon who does lots of these & knows what he/she is doing.