title: 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.
authors: Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic and Foundation.
authors: G T
authors: GT
authors: Lin
authors: P C
authors: PC
authors: Amadio
authors: K N
authors: KN
authors: An
authors: W P
authors: WP
authors: Cooney
authors: E Y
authors: EY
authors: Chao
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002102:Cadaver; D005385:Fingers / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*