Clinical experience of the percutaneous release for trigger fingers.
10.4097/kjae.2009.56.1.60
- Author:
Han Koo RYU
1
;
Sang Kon LEE
;
Byung Woo MIN
;
Jong Suk BAN
;
Ji Hyang LEE
;
Eun Joo KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Korea. lovelove@fatima.or.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Percutaneous release;
Steroid injection;
Trigger finger;
Watanabe stage
- MeSH:
Fingers;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Needles;
Prognosis;
Splints
- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
2009;56(1):60-65
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Conservative management for the trigger fingers includes splinting, steroid injection and other adjuvant methods. If conservative treatment fails, a surgical release of the A1 pulley is offered. Although the success rate of the surgical intervention is high, the complications, for example, a digital nerve injury, bowstringing, infection and continued triggering, have been reported. Percutaneous release with an 18 guage needle has been reported as a safe and effective procedure for the trigger fingers. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of the percutaneous release. METHODS: 33 patients received the percutaneous release of the A1 pulley with an 18 guage needle and steroid injection (Group A) and 36 patients did the only administration of steroid as a control group (Group B). Patients were examined with a clinical staging for the Watanabe stage (W stage) and 0-10 points verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) score at 1 week, 3 months, 1 year after the initial treatment. RESULTS: After 1 year of the follow-up, 93.5% in the group A and 57.6% in the group B had complete release of the trigger fingers in the W stage. VNRS after the initial treatment demonstrated that the decrement of the pain score was more significant in the group A. CONCLUSIONS: We need to consider the percutaneous release with steroid injection at an early stage of the trigger fingers because of the more effective resolution of the symptoms and the better long-term prognosis than a steroid injection alone.
