Long-term effectiveness of corticosteroid injections for trigger finger and thumb.

Abstract

To analyze the long-term response to corticosteroid injection in the management of trigger digit. This was an observational study of a prospectively recruited series of patients with first-time diagnosis of trigger finger. Efficacy of the injections, comorbidities, digit injected, and related complications were compared and statistically analyzed. A total of 71 digits were included in the study. The median (interquartile range) duration of follow-up was 8 years (range, 7.0-8.3 y). At final follow-up, complete remission of symptoms was obtained in 69% of cases. There were 37 trigger thumbs (52%), with a success rate of 81% compared with 56% in the other the digits. There were 11 patients with diabetes mellitus, and 16 fingers developed trigger finger after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery. We found no complications. Steroid injections were an effective first-line intervention for the treatment of trigger finger. At long-term follow-up, the success incidence may be as high as 69%. In this study, the efficacy of this treatment increases when treating the thumb compared with other digits.