Ulnar Collateral Ligament Hybrid Reconstruction With Palmaris Longus Autograft, Suture Brace Augmentation, and Ulnar...

Many overhead athletes, both amateur and professional, experience an increasing number of injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) as a result of overuse or trauma. As a result of this increasing frequency, multiple techniques have been developed to reconstruct or repair the UCL with success and faster return to sports (RTS) for athletes who are ideal candidates for a repair. However, a large proportion of UCL tear patients cannot undergo repair due to chronic injury, leading to poor tissue quality, midsubstance tears, or older age, which predispose them to slower healing and a more difficult path to total rehabilitation. The senior author's "hybrid" reconstruction combines a palmaris longus autograft for reconstruction with a repair-style suture brace augmentation that allows for increased load-to-failure strength that parallels the native UCL, while allowing for native anatomic motion of the ligament when ranging the elbow.

This technique is indicated for patients with a UCL tear confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, poor to moderate UCL tissue quality, midsubstance tears, and older patients who have a palmaris longus tendon to harvest and persistent ulnar nerve paresthesias.

This video demonstrates the senior author's technique of harvesting a palmaris autograft, drilling proximal and distal UCL graft passage tunnels, augmenting the graft with an internal suture brace, fixation of the graft, and finally an ulnar nerve transposition to alleviate ulnar nerve paresthesia.

Outcomes of retrospective studies demonstrate good to excellent outcomes of UCL hybrid reconstructions with suture brace augmentation and RTS rates of at least 85%. Complication rates are low, with the most common complication being graft failure (14%) and the next most common being temporary ulnar nerve paresthesia.

Overall, this video demonstrates a highly effective technique at restoring native-like biomechanics and function for patients with UCL tears that are too complex to repair. Patients have good to excellent outcomes and RTS rates, although time to RTS may take 12 months or longer.

The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.