Comparison Between 2 Treatment Modalities of Trigger Finger: Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Release of A1 Pulley by a Needle Knife Versus Ultrasound-guided Corticosteroid Injection in the Treatment of Trigger Finger

Ultrasound-guided Percutaneous Release of A1 Pulley by a Needle Knife Versus Ultrasound-guided Corticosteroid Injection in the Treatment of Trigger Finger: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Trigger finger is a common cause of hand disability and pain in the general population. It is a pathologic condition of the digital pulleys and flexor tendons. Although the pathogenesis is incompletely clear and multifactorial, the most common cause of the trigger finger is the thickened flexor tendon and/or thickened first annular (A1) pulley located at the metacarpophalangeal joint. Currently, ultrasound is considered an effective and valuable tool for assessing the trigger finger, providing static and dynamic evaluations of this condition and a comparison with the adjacent normal digits. Recently, it has been reported that ultrasound-guided percutaneous A1 pulley precise release using a needle knife has received increasing attention in the clinical treatment of trigger fingers and achieved good results. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical study comparing the efficacy and safety of ultrasonic-guided percutaneous A1 pulley release with a needle knife and the ultrasonic-guided steroid injection in treating trigger fingers.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Idiopathic trigger finger
• Trigger finger at the level of A1 pulley
• Trigger finger of Green's grades II or III

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with secondary causes of trigger fingers like diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, hypothyroidism, amyloidosis, and sarcoidosis.
• Patients with a previous history of first annular pulley release or injection.
• Patients with trigger fingers of Green's grade I and IV.
• Patients with trigger fingers at any level other than the A1 pulley.