“I have trigger finger?”
Following an accident with a rotary washing line last summer - I sustained a laceration to a finger on my left hand which cleared up within a few days. Very soon after (about a day or two), I also sustained trigger finger. I have been in the process of taking the matter through the compensation route - but, having met with an independent orthopedic consultant, he tells me that trigger finger is caused by age, women mostly, repetitive use and completely dismissed my honest judgment that it was the accident and post-trauma that caused my trigger finger. I have had two previous treatments in terms of steroid injections, but the benefits of these were only short-lived. I am now having an operation on the 13th of October - this year. Please could you confirm whether my diagnosis is feasible?
Female | 55 years old
Complaint duration: 2020
6 Answers
The following are my thoughts, and sometimes my tips and suggestions in response to your inquiry:
I am hopeful that you have a good WC attorney (lawyer) and that if this happened at work, then your disability insurance should be covering this surgery. It will depend on where the laceration was and where exactly your pain is. A trigger finger is a tendon compression across a soft tissue tunnel whose job is to stabilize a flexor (bending) tendon, in your palm. With the right diagnosis and caring, meticulous surgeon, an empathetic and thorough physical or occupational therapist post-operatively, and a motivated and knowledgeable patient, you should do fine. I find it is a pretty successful surgery in terms of pain relief and functional improvement. Good luck and listen to your doctors and care team.
David T. Neuman, MD FAAOS
I am hopeful that you have a good WC attorney (lawyer) and that if this happened at work, then your disability insurance should be covering this surgery. It will depend on where the laceration was and where exactly your pain is. A trigger finger is a tendon compression across a soft tissue tunnel whose job is to stabilize a flexor (bending) tendon, in your palm. With the right diagnosis and caring, meticulous surgeon, an empathetic and thorough physical or occupational therapist post-operatively, and a motivated and knowledgeable patient, you should do fine. I find it is a pretty successful surgery in terms of pain relief and functional improvement. Good luck and listen to your doctors and care team.
David T. Neuman, MD FAAOS
It could have been caused by the injury--if you had some scar tissue on the tendon; if the injections helped, then that's what it was.
You need to tell me where exactly the laceration was and how it was treated. But, the information you received from the Orthopedic physician is correct. Is this the surgeon who will be doing the surgery? After 2 tries with injections of steroid, the next form of treatment is surgery. It’s simple and practically without any post-op issues or complications, provided you follow your instructions. Pretty quick recovery time.
Yep. Surgery will confirm. Ask surgeon of he/she is ready and will look for partial tendon injury.
Based on what was shared is that you were set up to have a trigger finger. The laceration created some local inflammation that related to your finger triggering. After the laceration healed and you had normal movement of your finger, the triggering recurred. The diagnosis is correct and thought the laceration may have been the last apple to tip the cart over. It wasn’t what caused the trigger finger.
Best of luck,
Robert D. Swift, DO, FAOAO
Best of luck,
Robert D. Swift, DO, FAOAO
Trigger finger is caused by an inflamed tendon triggering or catching under the pulleys on the palm side of the finger. The surgical procedure simply releases the offending pulley.
Best of luck,
Dr. L
Best of luck,
Dr. L
