The "turtleneck" pulley plasty for finger flexor tendon repair

Injuries to the flexor tendons are frequent. Even when correctly treated, they can cause a loss of mobility of the digits secondary to postoperative adhesions. Further, conflicts between the tendon suture and the pulleys can limit the range of motion of the tendon and the flexion of the fingers. We propose a new pulley plasty that permits immediate retraining and avoids conflict with the tendon suture. Ten patients underwent surgery for a tendon injury in zone II, with no lesions of the associated pedicles. The tendons were repaired by a 4-strand stitch technique associated with a continuous peritendinous suture. Pulley plasty was systematically performed on A2, A4, or both. Eight patients recovered a satisfactory range of motion with a finger to palm distance of <1 cm, and 2 others with a distance of <2 cm. Two tenolyses were performed, for which no secondary reconstruction of the pulleys was necessary. This plasty technique is simple to carry out, reliable, and reproducible. Because it facilitates tendon repair and reinforces the existing pulleys, it permits immediate retraining and controlled active mobilization.