Nutrient pathways of flexor tendons in primates.

The perfusion and diffusion pathways to the flexor profundus tendons of 40 monkeys were investigated by measuring the uptake of tritiated proline by various tendon segments. In the absence of all vascular connections, the process of diffusion provides nutrients to all areas of flexor tendon and in this study the process of diffusion was greater. The distal segment of tendon was observed to be profused most rapidly. The proximal tendon segment is perfused from both the muscular-tendinous junction and the vinculum longus; vincular segment perfusion is via the vinculum longus vessels alone; central segment perfusion is shared by the vinculum longus and vinculum brevis vasculature. The distal segment uptake is by both the process of diffusion or vinculum brevis perfusion. The osseous attachment at the distal phalanx contributes little to tendon nutrition.