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

Complications of Open Trigger Finger Release

Open trigger finger release is an elective surgical procedure that serves as the gold standard treatment for trigger digits. The aim of this procedure is to release the A1 pulley in a setting in which the pulley is completely visible, ultimately allowing the flexor tendons that were previously impinged on to glide more easily through the tendon sheath. Although A1-or the first annular pulley-is the site of triggering in nearly all cases, alternative sites include A2, A3, and the palmar aponeurosis1. Typically, the surgical procedure can be conducted in an outpatient setting and can vary in duration from a few minutes to half an hour. The surgical procedure involves the patient lying in the supine position with the operative hand positioned to the side. A small incision, ranging from 1 to 1.5 cm, is made on the volar side of the hand, just proximal to the A1 pulley in the skin crease in order to minimize scarring. Once the underlying neurovascular structures are exposed, the A1 pulley is released longitudinally at least to the level of the A2 pulley, followed by decompression of the flexor tendons that were previously impinged on. In order to confirm the release, the patient is asked to flex and extend the affected finger. The wound is irrigated and closed once the release is confirmed by both the patient and surgeon. Aside from an open release, trigger finger can be treated nonoperatively with use of splinting and corticosteroid injection. Alternative operative treatments include a percutaneous release, which involves the use of a needle to release the A1 pulley2. Trigger finger can initially be treated nonoperatively. If unsuccessful, surgical intervention is considered the ultimate remedy2. Because of their efficacious nature, corticosteroid injections are indicated preoperatively, particularly in non-diabetic patients3. Splinting is often an appropriate treatment option in patients who wish to avoid a corticosteroid injection1. However, if nonoperative treatment modalities fail to resolve pain and symptoms, surgical intervention is indicated2. In comparison with a percutaneous trigger finger release, an open release provides enhanced exposure and may be safer with respect to avoiding iatrogenic neurovascular injury2. However, in a randomized controlled trial, Gilberts et al. found no difference in the rates of recurrence when comparing open versus percutaneous trigger finger release4. With reported success rates ranging from 90% to 100%, the open release of the A1 pulley is considered a common procedure associated with minimal complications2. Complications of the procedure were assessed in a retrospective analysis of 43 patients who underwent 78 open trigger releases performed by 1 surgeon. In that study, the authors reported a minor complication rate of 28% and a major complication rate of 3%5. Specifically, the 2 major complications noted by the authors were a synovial fistula and a proximal interphalangeal joint arthrofibrosis. In a larger study that included 543 patients who underwent 795 open trigger releases, the authors reported a minor complication rate of 9.6% and major complication rate of 2.4%6. Furthermore, the most common complications involved persistent stiffness, swelling, or pain. In that analysis, the authors suggested that sedation, male gender, and general anesthesia may be associated with greater risk6. At the discretion of the surgeon, a longitudinal, transverse, or oblique incision is made directly on top of the tendon at the level of the metacarpophalangeal joint, which is the preferred incision site because it provides maximal accessibility to the A1 pulley.Local anesthesia is preferred because it allows the patient and surgeon to confirm the release immediately.If conducting an open trigger release on the thumb, the surgeon should identify and protect the radial digital nerve, which courses directly over the A1 pulley. MCP = metacarpophalangeal.

Patients who have had a corticosteroid injection at the surgical site within 90 days of trigger finger release (TFR) or carpal tunnel release (CTR) have an elevated risk of postoperative infection. Currently, it remains unknown if a preoperative injection in proximity to the surgical site for a separate complaint alters the risk of a postoperative infection. A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent TFR or CTR between 2010 and 2022. Patients who had a corticosteroid injection at or near the surgical site within 90 days of surgery were included. Outcome measures included uncomplicated healing, superficial infection requiring antibiotics, and deep infection (DI) requiring surgical debridement. There were 564 cases in which a corticosteroid injection was performed within 90 days of TFR or CTR. Superficial infections occurred in 12 (2.1%), and DIs occurred in 6 (1.1%) cases. There was no significant difference in infection rates between the two groups relative to the location of the injection nor timing of the injection (0-30, 31-60, or 61-90 days prior to surgery). Patients who had an injection at the surgical site within 90 days of TFR or CTR had an elevated rate of postoperative infection compared with published rates in the literature. This study is unique in that preoperative injections at an adjacent site in the palm also correlated with an elevated rate of infection, similar to patients who had an injection at the surgical site. Level 4.

Ultrasound-guided trigger finger release with a minimally invasive knife: A retrospective analysis of 297 releases.

Wound Healing Complications in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Carpal Tunnel and Trigger Finger Releases: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background:Carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger are two of the most common conditions treated by the hand surgeon. During these procedures, a tourniquet is often used to minimize bleeding and improve visualization of the operative field. However, it may be associated with pain and discomfort. To date, there are few prospective studies investigating the safety and patient-centered outcomes of tourniquet-free minor hand procedures.Methods:This is a randomized controlled trial comparing patients undergoing open carpal tunnel or trigger finger release with or without the use of a tourniquet. Perioperative subjective patient experience was investigated for both techniques. This was measured based on a numerical rating scale for pain, anxiety, and overall satisfaction. In addition, this was an equivalence trial in terms of operative time, bleeding scores, and perioperative complication rates.Results:A total of 67 patients were recruited. Both groups were similar with respect to distribution of age, sex, handedness, anti-platelet use, and tobacco use. Median scores for operative time, anxiety, and overall satisfaction were comparable between the 2 groups. With regard to patient discomfort, median scores were significantly higher in the tourniquet group when compared with the no tourniquet group (3.58 versus 1.68, respectively, P = 0.02). Bleeding scores for the tourniquet group were significantly lower than for the no tourniquet group (1.14 versus 1.90, respectively, P = 0.001).Conclusions:The application of wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) in minor hand surgery procedures has been shown to decrease tourniquet-associated discomfort, improving perioperative patient experience. Additionally, it demonstrated the noninferiority of the tourniquet-free technique with respect to operative time and the rate of perioperative complications.

To assess whether patients treated with a Minimally Invasive Rotator-Interval Technique (MIR-IT) versus the traditional technique of splitting the rotator cuff (RTCS) for intramedullary nailing of humeral shaft fractures resulted in comparable post-operative clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PROM). Design: Retrospective Cohort Study. Level 1 Trauma Center. Patients >18yo with humeral shaft fractures (AO/OTA 12A-C) treated with IMN between 2015 and 2022. The primary outcome was differences in PROMs (ASES, Quick DASH, and Oxford Shoulder Score) between the MIR-IT and RTCS techniques. Secondary outcome measures included differences in rates of nonunion, superficial and deep surgical infections, wound dehiscence and iatrogenic nerve palsy between the two techniques. Seventy-one patients underwent humeral IMN (MIR-IT - 39; RTCS - 32). Fifty-five patients (MIR-IT- 30; RTCS-25) had radiographic and clinical follow up to union. Mean follow up was 7.5 months (range: 3.1-16.8 months). Patients did not vary significantly with regards to age (MIR-IT: 54.4 ± 22.4; RTCS: 55.1 ± 18.5 years, p=0.896), and gender (Males- MIR-IT: 46.7%, RTCS: 44%, p=0.843). There were no significant differences in nonunion (7.4% vs 4.0% p=1.0), superficial infection (3.6% vs 4% p=1.0) or iatrogenic nerve palsy (3.6% vs 4.0% p=1.0) between the MIR-IT and RTCS groups. There were no deep infections or wound dehiscences in either group. Forty-two patients had PROMs (MIR-IT -21; RTCS -21). Average time to PROMs collection was 35.7 months (MIR-IT: 34.2 months, RTCS: 37.1 months, p=0.682). There were significantly better ASES scores (82.7 vs 71.6 p=.015), Quick DASH scores (9.7 vs 21.0 p=.011) and Oxford Shoulder Scores (39.3 vs 33.9 p=.042) amongst patients treated with the MIR-IT. Humeral IMN utilizing the MIR-IT resulted in better shoulder PROMs compared to the RTCS technique, with similarly low surgical complication rates. Therapeutic Level II.

PurposeTotal ankle replacement (TAR) and ankle arthrodesis (AA) are two commonly performed procedures for end-stage arthritis of the ankle joint. The aim of this study was to analyze the differences in the rates of complications and reoperations at both 30 days and one year within a matched sample of TAR and AA patients from a large database population.MethodsA commercially available patient database record, known as the PearlDiver database (www.pearldiverinc.com, Colorado Springs, CO, USA), was used for this study. Patients undergoing TAR and AA were identified using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. After matching both TAR and AA groups for confounding variables, such as diabetes, smoking, obesity, and comorbidities scores, the differences in the rates of complications at 30 days and one year and the rate of reoperation at one year were evaluated in both groups.ResultsAfter matching for confounding variables, there were 1287 patients in each group. There was no significant difference in the male/female ratio. Within each group, 430 patients were diabetic, 102 patients smoked, and 543 patients were obese. The rate of surgical site infection (SSI) and wound dehiscence were higher at 30 days in the AA group. About 63.45% of complications happened after 30 days. The AA group showed a higher rate of SSI, wound dehiscence, mechanical complications, and pneumonia at one year. The rate of reoperation was also higher in the AA group at one year.ConclusionAnkle arthrodesis is associated with a higher rate of local and systemic complications at 30 days and one year, along with a higher reoperation rate at one year, when compared to total ankle replacement. Most complications happened after 30 days, suggesting that studies reporting complications within 30 days following AA and TAR may underestimate the true rates of complications.

Cost and compliance are 2 factors that can significantly affect the outcomes of non-operative and operative treatment of trigger finger (TF) and both may be influenced by social factors. The purpose of this study was to investigate socioeconomic disparities in the surgical treatment for TF. Adult patients (≥18 years old) were identified using International Classification of Diseases 9 and 10 Clinical Modification diagnostic codes for TF and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) procedural codes (CPT: 26055) in the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database. Each diagnosis was linked to procedure data to determine which patients went on to have TF release. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the likelihood of receiving surgery. The variables included in the analysis were age, sex, race, social deprivation index (SDI), Charlson Comorbidity Index, and primary insurance type. A P-value < .05 was considered significant. Of the 31 411 TF patients analyzed, 8941 (28.5%) underwent surgery. Logistic regression analysis showed higher odds of receiving surgery in females (odds ratio [OR]: 1.108) and those with workers compensation (OR: 1.7). Hispanic (OR: 0.541), Asian (OR: 0.419), African American (OR: 0.455), and Other race (OR: 0.45) had decreased odds of surgery. Medicaid (OR: 0.773), Medicare (OR: 0.841), and self-pay (OR: 0.515) reimbursement methods had reduced odds of receiving surgery. Higher social deprivation was associated with decreased odds of surgery (OR: 0.988). There are disparities in demographic characteristics among those who receive TF release for trigger finger related to race, primary insurance, and social deprivation.

Introduction. Trigger finger is one of the most common causes of hand pain and disability. Surgical treatment consists of release of the A-1 pulley by open or percutaneous techniques. Many authors have noted that percutaneous release is convenient and cost-effective with a low complication rate. Only few studies have published results on combination of percutaneous release and steroid injection.&#x0D; Objective. To compare the differences of outcomes in adults with trigger finger treated with combination of percutaneous release and corticosteroid injection to those treated with percutaneous release alone&#x0D; Methods. We included all patients older than 18 years old in the UP-PGH Department of Orthopedics with a diagnosis of trigger finger who have consented to participate in this study. They were randomized into two treatment groups. One group was treated with percutaneous release only and the other group was treated with combined percutaneous release and corticosteroid injection. Outcomes measured were total active motion (TAM), postoperative pain, time to return-to-work, patient satisfaction, and complications.&#x0D; Results. Post-procedure, both groups showed significant improvement in motion of the fingers (p = 0.034) and pain relief (p = 0.001). TAM scores of the combination group were better compared to the control at all time intervals (p = 0.03, 0.008, 0.004, 0.019) and better pain VAS scores in the 1st week (p = 0.009). Patients who received the combination treatment showed a trend toward better patient satisfaction, shorter duration of post-release pain and earlier return-to-work.&#x0D; Conclusion. The addition of corticosteroid injections to percutaneous release of trigger finger significantly improves TAM and pain VAS scores.

Trigger finger is a common yet vastly understudied fibroproliferative hand pathology, severely affecting patients’ quality of life. Consistent trauma due to inadequate positioning within the afflicted finger’s tendon/pulley system leads to cellular dysregulation and eventual fibrosis. While the genetic characteristics of the fibrotic tissue in the trigger finger have been studied, the pathways that govern the initiation and propagation of fibrosis are still unknown. The complete gene expression profile of the trigger finger has never been explored. Our study has used the Nanostring nCounter gene expression assay to investigate the molecular signaling involved in trigger finger pathogenesis. We collected samples from patients undergoing trigger finger (n = 4) release surgery and compared the gene expression to carpal tunnel tissue (n = 4). Nanostring nCounter analysis identified 165 genes that were differentially regulated; 145 of these genes were upregulated, whereas 20 genes were downregulated. We found that several collagen genes were significantly upregulated, and a regulatory matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), MMP-3, was downregulated. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that several known signaling pathways were dysregulated, such as the TGF-β1 and Wnt signaling pathways. We also found several novel signaling pathways (e.g., PI3K, MAPK, JAK-STAT, and Notch) differentially regulated in trigger finger. The outcome of our study helps in understanding the molecular signaling pathway involved in the pathogenesis of the trigger finger.

IntroductionTrigger finger is a common cause of pain and disability of the hand. Percutaneous release results in earlier functional recovery and patient satisfaction. This is a rapid and cost-effective method which saves a surgical procedure and results in better functional outcome.Materials and MethodsThis is a prospective observational study conducted on fifty-two fingers and thumbs in 52 patients treated from 1st July 2014 till 31st December 2014, in the Orthopaedic Section, Department of Surgery, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. All the baseline characteristics of the patients, like demographics, symptoms, Quinell's criteria and functional outcome were recorded. The patients were treated at our hospital with trigger finger, managed with percutaneous release using an 18 gauge needle and followed up for a minimum period of three months. The follow-up information included range of motion scoring, patient satisfaction and overall outcome of the procedure in terms of patient acceptance. The data was analyzed to determine the functional outcome at three months.ResultsThere was complete release of A1 pulleys in 52 out of 52 digits (100%) in the patients undergoing percutaneous release and significant patient satisfaction. No recurrence was observed.ConclusionPercutaneous release of trigger finger with needle was not only associated with excellent functional outcome and recovery in terms of patient satisfaction and range of finger motion three months post-procedure but also was found to be cost effective.

Open versus percutaneous release for trigger digits: Reversal between short-term and long-term outcomes

The goal of this study was to evaluate 3 common oral analgesics-oxycodone (OXY), ibuprofen (IBU), and acetaminophen (ACE)-for pain management following carpal tunnel release (CTR) and trigger finger release (TFR) surgery. Outcome measures were pain scores, capsule consumption patterns, and satisfaction. Carpal tunnel or trigger finger patients indicated to undergo primary, unilateral release received 10 capsules of either OXY (5 mg), IBU (600 mg), or ACE (500 mg) postoperatively. Medications were distributed in a randomized fashion, with both surgeons and patients blinded to the selected analgesic. Postoperatively, patients recorded pain level each day using a 0 to 10 visual analog scale, the number of capsules taken each day, and any adverse effects experienced. Medication distribution among the 188 patients completing the study was 62 OXY, 64 IBU, and 62 ACE. Surgical distribution was 76 TFR, 61 endoscopic CTR, and 51 open CTR. Overall, the mean total number of capsules consumed from postoperative days 0 through 5 for OXY, IBU, and ACE was 3.2, 4.0, and 3.1, respectively (P>.05). Mean worst daily pain score for the OXY, IBU, and ACE groups was 2.9, 2.5, and 2.5, respectively (P<.05). On subgroup analyses by procedure type, the only difference was found in the open CTR group, with the highest daily pain scores noted in the OXY group (P<.05). Nine of the 11 patients experiencing an adverse reaction also came from the OXY group. There were no reoperations or allergic reactions in any group. In this study, no clinically significant difference in pain experience or capsule consumption based on postoperative opioid vs nonopioid medication was identified. Adverse events were highest in the OXY group. In lieu of opioids, the authors suggest prescribing nonopioids first following TFR and CTR surgery. In addition, they advise prescribing 5 to 10 or fewer pills postoperatively regardless of the analgesic selected. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(2):110-115.].

Operating rooms (ORs) produce approximately 70% of hospital waste. Greening strategies in the OR aim to reduce the environmental impact of surgery while maintaining patient safety and outcomes. The aim of this study was to strategically reduce waste and cost associated with common ambulatory hand procedures by implementing a 3-stage "green case" plan over a 1-year period in a high-volume tertiary referral hand surgery division. A 3-stage greening initiative for hand surgery was designed and implemented in ambulatory open carpal tunnel release (CTR) and trigger finger release (TFR) cases, including: (1) introduction of minor field sterility; (2) implementation of a lean and green minor hand surgery pack and reduced instrument set; and (3) elimination of gown use by surgeons and OR staff. Surgical supply usage and costs were tracked during the study period and compared with control. Each "green case" resulted in savings of $105 compared with the control cases from the preceding year, excluding cost savings associated with reduced waste processing. There was a 64% and 75% reduction in waste and costs after greening, respectively. This equates to a minimum institutional annual savings of $51 000 when used for CTR and TFR. There was no observed increase in surgical site infections or complications after the introduction of greening. Greening initiatives can be successfully implemented by surgeons to reduce waste and costs. With targeted greening of CTR and TFR procedures, we significantly reduced waste and decreased costs while maintaining patient safety and outcomes.