Diagnosis

Diagnosis is through our consultants taking your medical history, discussing your current symptoms and how they developed. A physical exam will also be carried out which includes ‘stressing’ the affected finger, this may be uncomfortable but should not be too painful and an ultrasound may be performed.

Treatment options

• ‍Watch and wait: Some peoples symptoms may resolve by themselves, but most have symptoms persistent enough to make them seek medical assistance and reducing heavy gripping may help.
• ‍Steroid injections: These can be provided in The Hand to Elbow Clinic (often at the same time as your consultation). Typically, these relieve the symptoms in the short term. If the symptoms respond well to the injection further injections may be provided in the future (but rarely more than 2-3 injections in total).
• Surgery:
  • ‍Closed (keyhole) technique: This is becoming more common practice and involves using a needle under the skin to divide the affected sheath, allowing the finger to bend, a plaster is applied following the procedure.
  • ‍Open technique: This is usually carried out under local anaesthetic. The sheath over the afflicted finger is released to allow the tendon more space to move freely, this is checked at surgery by you moving your fingers. Once free movement is confirmed, absorbable sutures are used. Our audits show more than 85-90% of patients have good or excellent results. Risks of surgery will be discussed if you proceed with surgery.

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