Office-Based Open Trigger Finger Release Has a Low Complication Rate.

Area of Science:

• Hand Surgery
• Outpatient Procedures
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Open trigger finger release is commonly performed in outpatient operating rooms.
• Complication rates for this procedure vary significantly, ranging from 1% to 43%.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and viability of performing open trigger finger release surgery in an office-based clinic.
• To compare clinic-based complication rates with those reported for operating room procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 527 open trigger finger releases performed in a clinic between 2015 and 2019.
• Standard open technique with Esmarch tourniquet and no epinephrine used by a single fellowship-trained hand surgeon.
• Complications defined as any signs or symptoms requiring further medical treatment.

Main Results:

• A total of 33 complications (6.3%) were documented in 527 procedures.
• Minor wound complications (cellulitis, superficial infection, stitch abscesses, wound dehiscence) were most common (5.4% combined).
• Only 5 patients (0.9%) required further operative management, including 2 for deep infection.

Conclusions:

• Open trigger finger release surgery performed in an office clinic setting demonstrates complication rates similar to those reported for operating room procedures.
• Clinic-based open trigger finger release is a safe and viable alternative to traditional operating room surgery.