Sterile flexor tenosynovitis of the hand: a report of three cases

Three patients presented with classic signs and symptoms of acute bacterial tenosynovitis. In each instance, the inflammatory condition was found to be sterile. The patients had no other known systemic diseases associated with sterile inflammation. Two patients had digital sheath exploration. The third patient had diagnostic digital sheath aspiration. Hand elevation, rest, and prophylactic antibiotics resulted in complete resolution in all three patients. One digital sheath biopsy specimen submitted for electron microscopy showed no evidence of a viral etiology.