Complications Following Endoscopic and Open Trigger Finger Release: A Retrospective Comparative Study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Hand Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Stenosing tenosynovitis, commonly known as trigger finger, affects the tendons in the hand.
• Open trigger finger release (OTFR) and endoscopic trigger finger release (ETFR) are established treatments.
• Limited comparative data exists on the postoperative complications of OTFR versus ETFR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the rates and types of postoperative complications between OTFR and ETFR.
• To identify factors associated with complications after trigger finger release surgery.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 57 patients (80 digits) who underwent trigger finger release between 2018 and 2020.
• Data collected included patient demographics, surgical history, technique used (OTFR or ETFR), and clinical outcomes.
• Postoperative complications (major and minor), tourniquet time, and procedure time were assessed.

Main Results:

• Overall complication rate was 8.8% (1.8% major, 7.0% minor).
• No major complications occurred with ETFR; one major complication (chronic regional pain syndrome) occurred with OTFR.
• Minor complication rates were similar (8% for OTFR, 6% for ETFR), with stiffness and swelling being most common. Female patients had higher complication rates.

Conclusions:

• Major complications are infrequent following both OTFR and ETFR for trigger finger release.
• Minor complications are more common and comparable between the two surgical techniques.
• Further research into the advantages of ETFR is recommended.