Percutaneous Release vs Steroid Injection for Trigger Finger

Trigger Finger Clinical Trial

Official title:

Comparison of Percutaneous Release and Local Steroid Injection for the Treatment of Trigger Fingers: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05383040
• Other study ID #: Trigger finger
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 1, 2022
• Est. completion date: November 2, 2022

Study information

• Verified date: February 2023
• Source: Armed Police Force Hospital, Nepal
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Trigger fingers (TF) is the common cause of pain and disturbed function of hand. Many studies show that percutaneous release of A1 pulley has better outcome than the steroid injection. However, over the past many years, steroid injection has been considered as the choice of treatment after the failure of conservative treatment methods. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of percutaneous release of A1 pulley compared with the local Steroid injection in the treatment of trigger fingers.

This study is based on a randomized clinical trial to compare the effect of the percutaneous release of A1 pulley with steroid injection in trigger fingers. A total of 112 participants aged 18 years and above suffering from trigger fingers with failed conservative treatment will be intervened randomly (56 participants in injection group and 56 participants in percutaneous release group). The Quinnell's classification, VAS scoring system and active range of movement in the affected site will be assessed at the baseline and the same criteria will be at one month and three month as end line assessment. Statistical analyses will be performed using independent t-test and Mann Whitney U test to compare between the two means. The outcome of this study will help to guide the physicians to choose the better therapeutic approach among the patients suffering from trigger fingers.

Description:

Stenosing flexor tenosynovitis also known as trigger finger. It is a common clinical condition where there is locking and clicking during flexion and extension of the involved digit or even locking. The trigger ring finger is the first commonest, and the trigger thumb is the second commonest of trigger fingers. Flexor tendon gliding motion is dependent on a 'Critical Tendon Sheath Caliber Tolerance' which allows passage of flexor tendon through the A1 pulley in the Metacarpophalangeal joint.

The prevalence of trigger finger is 2 % in the general population, which is most common in women in the fifth or sixth decade of life. The possibility of a trigger finger is between 2 and 3% during the lifetime, which increases up to 10 % in diabetic patients. The trigger finger in diabetic patients suffered from worse renal function and glycemic control, along with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease. The causes of Trigger finger are still not well known, some factors may increase the risk of developing the condition such as forceful hand activities (mechanical irritation, congenital and medical conditions (Diabetes and Rheumatoid arthritis). Trigger thumb is caused by thickening of flexor tendon gliding at the tendon A1 pulley interface or thickening of A1 pulley.

Diagnosis is primarily made based on physical examination. The patients often present with pain or clicking at the metacarpal head, which causes difficulty in holding or grasping objects. In most advanced cases, there is locking in flexion or extension position.

Nowadays, the morphological changes in the case of trigger fingers can be ruled out by high-resolution ultrasonography with a high-frequency transducer, and it has been found that the cut-off for pathological findings is a 20% increase in tendon thickness compared to the contralateral tendon. The average width and thickness of the A1 pulley are 7.1 mm and less than 1 mm respectively.

Treatment of Trigger fingers includes conservative such as splinting, oral medications, injection, and surgical management such as open release, and percutaneous release. Steroid injection has been serving us as a traditional way of injection therapy for many years for those who are not getting better with oral medications and physiotherapy. Steroid injection is effective because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

The first percutaneous release was performed in 1958 and the success rate was 100% without any reported complications. Percutaneous A1 pulley release has been the method of choice for patients who does not respond to conservative treatment (local steroid) with low complication rates.

There is a concern regarding percutaneous release in the thumb, where tendon sheath and neurovascular bundle are in proximity.

The technique of local steroid injection into the flexor sheath was described by Howard in 1953. It has become an accepted initial treatment for trigger fingers largely due to its use within the outpatient department and its low complication rate.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 112
• Est. completion date: November 2, 2022
• Est. primary completion date: November 2, 2022
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants aged 18 years and above

• Duration of symptoms := 3 months

• Triggering in any of the digits of hand

• Trigger finger type II-IV based on Quinnell classification

Exclusion Criteria:

• There is prior treatment for trigger finger, or Trigger thumb

• There had been previous surgery or other hand pathology such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, Dupuytren's contracture and diabetic mellitus.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Trigger Finger
• Trigger Finger Disorder

Intervention

Procedure:
• Percutaneous release
Percutaneous release of A1 pulley release will be performed in the well-managed operation theater set up, using an 18 gauge hypodermic needle, after preparation of the skin and injection of 1ml 2% plain lidocaine. The proper location of the pulley will be defined using surface landmarks in each digit after waiting a few minutes to allow the anesthetic to take effect the 18 gauge needle will be longitudinally moved to keep the level of the needle parallel with the tendon grating sensation will be elucidated confirming the cut of pulley until there is no grating sensation felt and improvement of symptoms. A sterile dressing will be placed.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Nepal	Armed Police Force Hospital	Kathmandu	Bagmati

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Armed Police Force Hospital, Nepal

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Nepal, 

References & Publications (24)

Bain GI, Turnbull J, Charles MN, Roth JH, Richards RS. Percutaneous A1 pulley release: a cadaveric study. J Hand Surg Am. 1995 Sep;20(5):781-4; discussion 785-6. doi: 10.1016/S0363-5023(05)80430-7. — View Citation

Bianchi S, Gitto S, Draghi F. Ultrasound Features of Trigger Finger: Review of the Literature. J Ultrasound Med. 2019 Dec;38(12):3141-3154. doi: 10.1002/jum.15025. Epub 2019 May 20. — View Citation

Blumberg N, Arbel R, Dekel S. Percutaneous release of trigger digits. J Hand Surg Br. 2001 Jun;26(3):256-7. doi: 10.1054/jhsb.2001.0569. — View Citation

Dala-Ali BM, Nakhdjevani A, Lloyd MA, Schreuder FB. The efficacy of steroid injection in the treatment of trigger finger. Clin Orthop Surg. 2012 Dec;4(4):263-8. doi: 10.4055/cios.2012.4.4.263. Epub 2012 Nov 16. — View Citation

David M, Rangaraju M, Raine A. Acquired triggering of the fingers and thumb in adults. BMJ. 2017 Nov 30;359:j5285. doi: 10.1136/bmj.j5285. No abstract available. — View Citation

Eastwood DM, Gupta KJ, Johnson DP. Percutaneous release of the trigger finger: an office procedure. J Hand Surg Am. 1992 Jan;17(1):114-7. doi: 10.1016/0363-5023(92)90125-9. — View Citation

Ha KI, Park MJ, Ha CW. Percutaneous release of trigger digits. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2001 Jan;83(1):75-7. doi: 10.1302/0301-620x.83b1.11247. — View Citation

HOWARD LD Jr, PRATT DR, BUNNELL S. The use of compound F (hydrocortone) in operative and non-operative conditions of the hand. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1953 Oct;35-A(4):994-1002. No abstract available. — View Citation

LORTHIOIR J Jr. Surgical treatment of trigger-finger by a subcutaneous method. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1958 Jul;40-A(4):793-5. No abstract available. — View Citation

Lunsford D, Valdes K, Hengy S. Conservative management of trigger finger: A systematic review. J Hand Ther. 2019 Apr-Jun;32(2):212-221. doi: 10.1016/j.jht.2017.10.016. Epub 2017 Dec 28. — View Citation

Lyu SR. Closed division of the flexor tendon sheath for trigger finger. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1992 May;74(3):418-20. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.74B3.1587893. — View Citation

Makkouk AH, Oetgen ME, Swigart CR, Dodds SD. Trigger finger: etiology, evaluation, and treatment. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2008 Jun;1(2):92-6. doi: 10.1007/s12178-007-9012-1. — View Citation

Maneerit J, Sriworakun C, Budhraja N, Nagavajara P. Trigger thumb: results of a prospective randomised study of percutaneous release with steroid injection versus steroid injection alone. J Hand Surg Br. 2003 Dec;28(6):586-9. doi: 10.1016/s0266-7681(03)00 — View Citation

Mineoka Y, Ishii M, Hashimoto Y, Yuge H, Toyoda M, Nakamura N, Katsumi Y, Fukui M. Trigger finger is associated with risk of incident cardiovascular disease in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cohort study. BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care. 202 — View Citation

Moore JS. Flexor tendon entrapment of the digits (trigger finger and trigger thumb). J Occup Environ Med. 2000 May;42(5):526-45. doi: 10.1097/00043764-200005000-00012. — View Citation

Pan M, Sheng S, Fan Z, Lu H, Yang H, Yan F, E Z. Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Release of A1 Pulley by Using a Needle Knife: A Prospective Study of 41 Cases. Front Pharmacol. 2019 Mar 26;10:267. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00267. eCollection 2019. — View Citation

Park MJ, Oh I, Ha KI. A1 pulley release of locked trigger digit by percutaneous technique. J Hand Surg Br. 2004 Oct;29(5):502-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jhsb.2004.03.015. — View Citation

Quinnell RC. Conservative management of trigger finger. Practitioner. 1980 Feb;224(1340):187-90. No abstract available. — View Citation

Ragoowansi R, Acornley A, Khoo CT. Percutaneous trigger finger release: the 'lift-cut' technique. Br J Plast Surg. 2005 Sep;58(6):817-21. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2005.04.003. — View Citation

Sahu R, Gupta P. Experience of Percutaneous Trigger Finger Release under Local Anesthesia in the Medical College of Mullana, Ambala, Haryana. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014 Sep;4(5):806-9. doi: 10.4103/2141-9248.141558. — View Citation

Saldana MJ. Trigger digits: diagnosis and treatment. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2001 Jul-Aug;9(4):246-52. doi: 10.5435/00124635-200107000-00004. — View Citation

Sato ES, Gomes Dos Santos JB, Belloti JC, Albertoni WM, Faloppa F. Treatment of trigger finger: randomized clinical trial comparing the methods of corticosteroid injection, percutaneous release and open surgery. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2012 Jan;51(1):93-9. — View Citation

Takahashi M, Sato R, Kondo K, Sairyo K. Morphological alterations of the tendon and pulley on ultrasound after intrasynovial injection of betamethasone for trigger digit. Ultrasonography. 2018 Apr;37(2):134-139. doi: 10.14366/usg.17038. Epub 2017 Jul 25. — View Citation

Wang J, Zhao JG, Liang CC. Percutaneous release, open surgery, or corticosteroid injection, which is the best treatment method for trigger digits? Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2013 Jun;471(6):1879-86. doi: 10.1007/s11999-012-2716-6. Epub 2012 Dec 4. — View Citation

* Note: There are 24 references in all — Click here to view all references

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Functional mobility improvement	Compare the effects of percutaneous release versus steroid injection on functional mobility at baseline, one month and three months.	3 months
Primary	Pain reduction	Compare the effects of percutaneous release versus steroid injection on pain reduction at baseline, one month and three months.	3 months
Secondary	Decrease in the thickness of the A1 pulley	Compare the effects of percutaneous release versus steroid injection on decrease in the thickness at baseline, one month and three months.	3 months
Secondary	Recurrence of problem within 3 months	Compare the effects of percutaneous release with steroid injection on problem recurrence in three months.	3 months