Also known as stenosing tenosynovitis, Trigger finger is a disease in which one of the fingers gets stuck in a twisted position. Your finger may unbend with a snap as a trigger being pulled and unrestricted.
Trigger finger takes place when inflammation narrows the space in the sheath around the tendon in the affected finger. In case this condition is severe, your finger may become locked in a twisted point.
People who are involved in repeated gripping actions are more prone to get this condition than others. It is also common in women and in those who suffer from diabetes. The cure for this condition depends on its severity.
The symptoms of trigger finger range from mild to severe such as:
Trigger finger generally affects the thumb or the middle or ring finger. Generally, more than a single digit may get affected and both hands may get affected at a time. Triggering is typically more pronounced in the morning, while grasping something or when straighten the finger.
Surgical treatment includes cutting through the affected part of the tendon sheath that joins the tendon to the bone in the finger in order to enable the tendon to move without any problem.
The intensity of your pain will help to decide if you should have a surgery or not or if it is associated with other medical issues like rheumatoid arthritis.
Trigger finger is an irritation at first, but if not treated, the affected finger or thumb may become always stuck in a bent or a straightened position. This may make it hard to perform everyday tasks. Surgery is extremely effective and the problem hardly ever recurs in the treated finger or thumb, though you will have to rest your hand for awhile and may need to be off work.
The outpatient surgery is short and generally patients do not have to stay in the hospital for more than a day. The treatment is generally done under local anesthetic, so you will not feel any pain in your hand, even though you will be awake.
There are 2 kinds of surgeries to correct trigger finger:
If you are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, you will not have to go through these treatments as they may cause your finger to point sideways. In its place, a distinct procedure, a tenosynovectomy, may be recommended that includes removing part of the tendon sheath to enable the tendon to move once more.
In the of the open method of surgery, a local anesthetic is used ; however, in place of making an incision in the palm, a needle is inserted into the bottom of the affected finger. The needle is used to cut through the ligament.
This surgery does not include an incision so you will not have a wound or scar. But, the treatment is a bit more dangerous compared to open surgery and may be less useful. Vital arteries and nerves are extremely close to the tendon sheath and can be damaged. This is why open surgery is generally preferred.
In this type of surgery, a local anesthetic injection into the palm of the hand is given. Then, a little incision is made in the palm of the hand along one of the natural creases, which means that the scar will not be visible. The surgeon cuts through the tendon sheath in order to make it wider. The wound will be fastened with stitches and covered with a bandage.
Contact Us today to find out more about the surgical treatment of trigger finger. Dr. Haque has completed fellowship training in hand surgery in addition to his plastic surgery training and has treated many trigger fingers. Contact Us or call us at 704-372-5685 today.
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