Biomechanical analysis of finger flexor pulley reconstruction

Abstract

Fifty cadaver digits were used to study the mechanical properties of five different methods of pulley reconstruction and the effectiveness of three different pulley reconstructive arrangements in restoring a normal relationship between tendon excursion and joint motion. All reconstructed pulleys showed less stiffness and more displacement before failure than normal intact pulleys. Although reconstruction using a length of another tendon woven through the remaining fibrous rim of the pulley and both double and triple tendon graft loops around bone absorbed more energy to failure than a normal pulley, only the triple loop around bone could withstand as much load before failure as a normal pulley. No reconstruction restored a normal tendon excursion/joint motion relationship, but reconstruction of the A2 and A4 pulleys restored a more normal relationship than either the "belt loop" reconstruction or a combination belt loop, A2 and A4 reconstruction.