[STENOSING FLEXOR TENOSYNOVITIS - COMMON PRACTICE OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS, ORTHOPEDIC AND HAND SURGEONS]

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Hand Surgery
• Primary Care Medicine

Context:

• Trigger finger, a common hand condition, causes pain, triggering, and functional limitations.
• Management involves primary care physicians, orthopedic surgeons, and hand surgeons.
• Variations in diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches exist among specialists.

Purpose:

• To evaluate factors influencing trigger finger diagnosis and treatment decisions.
• To compare treatment strategies employed by different medical specialists.
• To identify discrepancies in understanding clinical staging and surgical indications.

Summary:

• A survey of 158 physicians revealed that limited finger range of motion and prior treatment were key diagnostic factors.
• Family physicians considered patient age, occupation, and triggering frequency, differing from hand surgeons' focus.
• Treatment varied by specialty: NSAIDs (family physicians), steroid injections (orthopedic surgeons), and surgery (hand surgeons).

Impact:

• Highlights significant differences in physician understanding of trigger finger clinical staging and surgical indications.
• Findings can inform targeted medical education to standardize care for trigger finger.
• Aims to improve patient outcomes through enhanced physician training and consistent treatment protocols.