Acute nonspecific flexor tenosynovitis in the digits.

Abstract

Eight patients, aged 53 to 86 years (average, 63 years), with typical symptoms of acute infectious digital flexor tenosynovitis after excessive use of the hand were treated. No bacterial or crystal association was proven. In the two patients treated earliest, antibiotics were administered because of leucocytosis and a positive C-reactive protein (CRP) test result, but there was no improvement with this treatment. Surgical treatment relieved the symptoms in both these patients. In the other six patients, hand elevation and rest, as well as treatment with anti-inflammatory agents, resulted in complete resolution of the symptoms. Considering that the structure of the digital flexor tendon and the tendon sheath is similar to that of the synovial joint, the author suggests that the nonspecific tenosynovitis in this series could have been caused by overload on a flexor tendon system that had degenerated with age.