Bone resorption of the proximal phalanx after tendon pulley reconstruction

Abstract

A 35-year-old male worker sustained a degloving injury of the left hand. An abdominal flap was used for skin coverage. Tenolysis and reconstruction of the A2 pulley was done using a procedure based on the 3-loop technique, which was modified by putting the tendon loop under the extensor apparatus and periosteum. X-ray revealed hourglass-shaped bone resorption around the proximal phalanx, just under the reconstructed pulley. Diaphyseal narrowing remained present in follow-up x-rays obtained 9 and 10 years later. The remodeling of the resorption was poor. Too much pressure may have caused this bone resorption from the shortened pulley and the circulatory deprivation may have been caused by the dissected periosteum and blocking by the surrounding tendon loop. The degloving injury, which also deprived the digits of a blood supply, may have been an additional underlying risk factor. We recommend that future comparative studies of pulley reconstruction take into account mechanical effectiveness as well as force distribution.