Trigger Finger Release

Trigger finger is a condition where the finger or thumb straightens or bends with a pop or snap, which can cause considerable pain to the patient. This condition is often a result of tasks that require repetitive action performed by the fingers like typing or by repeated physical trauma, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, or diabetes.

How the Trigger Finger Condition Develops

If you are wondering what leads to the trigger finger condition, let’s break it down for you. The forearms have flexor muscles that enable the fingers to bend or straighten, thanks to tendons, which extend from the muscles to the hand. As your move your fingers, the tendons glide through flexor sheaths or pulleys to make smooth and effortless movement possible.

When a pulley becomes inflamed and swollen, the tendon’s movement becomes more difficult, and you may end up experiencing some pain. The tendon may also become swollen due to the friction, causing a ‘triggering’ of the finger as it gets temporarily stuck while gliding through the defective pulley.

Sometimes, the finger can be permanently locked in a bent or straight position, or movement may just be strenuous to accomplish in the affected finger. The A1 pulley (at the base of the finger) is usually the one that needs to be handled to restore motion, and one of the symptoms is tenderness at the base of the affected finger.

What Are the Treatment Options?

A couple of non-surgical solutions may resolve trigger fingers if a patient is hesitant about surgery or any invasive procedure that could cause scarring. When you come to our plastic surgery clinic to assess your options, our veteran doctors may propose any of the following solutions:

  • Rest where the patient avoids activities that require repetitive gripping or grasping until the condition improves
  • Gentle stretching exercises
  • Anti-inflammatory medication
  • Steroid injections for non-diabetic patients
  • Splinting of the finger at night to relieve morning pain (for up to 6 weeks)

The above solutions may be long-lasting depending on the patient’s case, but it recurs in a lot of cases. It’s also worth pointing out that steroid injections pose a risk of discolouration at the injection site, which some patients don’t mind. Nonetheless, invasive procedures such as percutaneous release or surgery usually produce more permanent results.

Trigger Finger Release Surgery

This is a minor surgery commonly performed on an outpatient basis at our plastic surgery clinic, UK. It often takes a couple of minutes, and the patient can be discharged after receiving postoperative care instructions to mitigate any complications.

Local anaesthesia is injected into the finger’s base, and an incision is made to release the troublesome pulley. The patient is awake for the procedure, and the finger’s motion is observed as the finger is moved. The major risks include tendon rupture, stiffness of the finger, and nerve injury, all of which are discussed with the patient at consultation. Our trusted and certified surgeons are well-trained to keep the risk levels low.

After The Surgery

Sutures are sown onto the open wound, and a soft bandage is placed on the palm. You may need to come back to our plastic surgery clinic, London, after ten days to have the stitches removed. Downtime often depends on your occupation, although the average time off from work is about a week.

The expected recovery time is two weeks, and after some months, the scar will be unnoticeable. However, some stretching exercises may be recommended to improve venous drainage and reduce swelling. Tasks such as washing dishes or gardening are discouraged during the first few weeks after surgery.


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