Abstract
The tendon-pulley geometry and gliding resistance with and without the A3 pulley were compared in 6 fresh human cadaver fingers. We measured the x- ray images of the distal A2 pulley-tendon angle and proximal A4 pulley-tendon angle with varying degrees of proximal interphalangeal joint flexion between 0° and 120°before and after A3 pulley resection. The gliding resistance of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon under the A2 pulley was also measured at varying tendon-pulley angles. With the A3 pulley removed, the tendon- pulley angle significantly increased compared with the A3 intact state. The gliding resistance between tendon and pulley quadratically increased as the tendon-pulley angle increase from 0°to 60°. These results indicate that the A3 pulley might serve to reduce tendon-pulley gliding resistance by reducing the tendon-pulley angle during finger flexion. (C) 2000 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 270-276 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Hand Surgery |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2000 |
Keywords
- A2 pulley
- Flexor tendon
- Gliding resistance
- Proximal interphalangeal joint angle
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
- Orthopedics and Sports Medicine