Injection therapy for management of stenosing tenosynovitis (de Quervain's disease) of the wrist

Stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist (de Quervain's disease) is a common cause of radial wrist and hand pain and disability. Nonoperative management of the disease has been thought to provide only temporary relief of pain and swelling, while surgical intervention has been viewed as a more definitive treatment. This retrospective study examines the results of 58 patients who presented with de Quervain's disease from January 1993 through December 1995 and were initially treated with a combination steroid/lidocaine injection. After 1 to 3 years of follow-up, 35 patients had complete relief of symptoms with a single injection, 14 had relief of symptoms with two injections, 2 are still under observation, and 7 patients had to undergo operative management. These results indicate that in most patients with de Quervain's disease, treatment with a steroid/lidocaine injection can provide complete relief of symptoms.