FLEXOR TENDON-PULLEY INTERACTION AFTER ANNULAR PULLEY RECONSTRUCTION - A BIOMECHANICAL STUDY IN A DOG-MODEL IN-VIVO

The excursion resistance between the canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon and A2 pulley was compared after pulley reconstruction using t endon grafts of either intrasynovial or extrasynovial origin al 10 day s, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks after surgery. The changes over time in the un derlying flexor digitorum profundus tendon after pulley reconstruction were also evaluated. The excursion resistance for both types of pulle y reconstruction was significantly greater than that of the control gr oup at all time periods. The excursion resistance of the extrasynovial tendon graft reconstruction was greater than that of intrasynovial pu lley reconstruction at all time periods. In conclusion, pulley reconst ruction with intrasynovial tendon grafts may facilitate tendon gliding after surgery. Copyright (C) 1998 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.