The extended palmaris longus tendon graft

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hand Surgery
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Flexor tendon ruptures, especially high-level ones at the wrist, pose significant surgical challenges.
• Graft length is a critical factor in successful tendon reconstruction.
• Existing methods may require multiple incisions, increasing morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a novel technique for augmenting palmaris longus tendon graft length.
• To evaluate the utility of incorporating palmar aponeurosis for graft extension.
• To address the need for longer grafts in complex flexor tendon repairs without additional incisions.

Main Methods:

• A surgical technique involving the inclusion of palmar aponeurosis with the palmaris longus tendon graft is described.
• The technique aims to harvest additional graft material from the palmar aponeurosis.
• This method is specifically applied to cases requiring extended tendon grafts, particularly for wrist flexor tendon ruptures.

Main Results:

• The described technique successfully increases the length of the palmaris longus tendon graft by approximately 5 cm.
• This augmentation provides sufficient length for treating challenging high flexor tendon ruptures at the wrist.
• The method avoids the necessity of a secondary surgical incision for graft harvesting.

Conclusions:

• Incorporating palmar aponeurosis is an effective method to increase palmaris longus tendon graft length.
• This technique offers a valuable solution for complex flexor tendon reconstructions at the wrist.
• It simplifies the surgical procedure by eliminating the need for an additional incision.