Effects of simultaneous steroid injection after percutaneous trigger finger release: a randomized controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Hand Surgery
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, is a common condition affecting the hand.
• Percutaneous A1 pulley release is a minimally invasive surgical option.
• The role of adjunctive steroid injections in percutaneous release is not fully established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of simultaneous steroid injection following percutaneous A1 pulley release.
• To compare outcomes between percutaneous A1 pulley release alone versus release with steroid injection.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 112 digits.
• Patients were assigned to either percutaneous A1 pulley release or release with steroid injection.
• Outcomes assessed included visual analogue scale for pain, patient global impression of improvement, and Quinnell grade at 3 weeks and 3 months.

Main Results:

• Subjective improvement was significantly better in the steroid injection group at 3 weeks.
• However, pain scores were significantly better in the no-steroid group at 3 months.
• No significant differences were observed in the modified Quinnell grade between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Simultaneous steroid injection improves early postoperative subjective outcomes after percutaneous trigger finger release.
• The long-term effect on pain may be less favorable compared to release alone.
• The findings suggest a potential trade-off between early and late outcomes.