Trigger finger and trigger thumb
Content
Description
Trigger finger and trigger thumb is a disease affecting the musculoskeletal system of the fingers, in which there is a discrepancy between the thickness of the tendon and the ligament channel in which the tendon slides.
This narrowing obstructs continuous sliding of the tendon and causes painful skipping and popping when trying to bend the fingers.
Sometimes the finger remains "freezed" in a flexed positiononly and can be extended back only with the help of the other hand.
Facts
- Local anesthesia
- Outpatient procedure
- Procedure takes 20 minutes
- Stitches are removed after 2 weeks
- The diagnosis is confirmed by the clinical finding and subsequent examination by a surgeon, who can even feel the popping of the finger.
- The cause of the disease is not always known. It may be rheumatoid arthritis, gout, diabetes or tendon inflammation. Sometimes occurs after injury of the hand. Most often, the cause is known.
Treatment is surgical and consists of a small incision (about 1 cm) direct above the osteofibrotic canal in the palm of the hand. By cutting the A1 pulley the tendon has enough place to slide.
- The operation is performed under local anaesthesia and the procedure takes up to 15 minutes.
- The stitches are taken out on the 14th day after surgery.
- The hand can be used in normal daily activities, but the wound must not get wet and dirty.
Injection treatment with corticosteroids is only short-term and may even weaken the tendon, so only surgery can provide a long-term solution.
