# Ultrasound-Guided trigger Finger (Tendovaginitis Stenosans) Surgery

- Link: https://sifsof.com/clinical-apps/ultrasound-guided-trigger-finger-tendovaginitis-stenosans-surgery/
- Published: 2021-08-22T16:50:18+00:00
- Author: Monica

The tendons on the palm side bend the fingers. These are known as the flexor tendons.
On the fingers and on the thumb there are small rings, through which  the flexor
tendons run. The collective of these flexor tendons and their tunnel-like structure
rings is called the pulley system. The trigger finger syndrome takes place within
this structure.

Flexor pulley system consists of following:
–  Palmar Aponeurosis pulley–  Annular
pulleys–  Cruciform pulleys.

Together, these form a fibro-osseous tunnel on the palmar aspect of the hand through
which passes the deep and superficial flexor tendons.
 Flexor tendon pulley system
maintains flexor tendons close to joint’s axis of motion and there is one of them
on each finger.

If these tunnel-like structures become too narrow, the flexor tendons are unable
to glide along freely inside them. This results in extremely painful and irritating
blocking which is reversed in a jerking manner with effort (snapping or triggering
of the finger). Often, patients report that the snapping follows an unusual strenuous
activity (such as gardening, carrying for long periods of time). During these – 
often unfamiliar – activities, pressure is exerted on the flexor tendons of the 
fingers and the tendon sheaths become thicker obstructing the gliding motion of 
the flexon tendon.

This condition can be alleviated by the administration of orticosteroid injections.
These are shots with a needle into a joint (such as the finger) or a tendon. Corticosteroids
work by reducing the inflammation of the finger. The injection itself might also
help to relieve the pressure on the tendon. While these injections resolve the inflamation
and ease the gliding of tendons through it’s sheaths, this is only a temporary solutions
and injectios will haVe to be re-adminitered to maintain good function of the joint.

The only proven way this condition can be permanently resolved has been through 
surgery. Blind percutaneous A1 pulley release was first described by Lorthior in
1958 (Paulius and Maguina, 2009). This operation can be done without any special
preparation and can obtain the effect equal to that of an open procedure.

Besides, this procedure has many advantages, including shorter recovery time, avoidance
of scar tenderness, and application in the outpatient setting (Rajeswaran et al.,
2009; Rojo-Manaute et al., 2010, 2012a,b; Smith et al., 2010). However, there is
still a potential risk of damage to the tendon and neurovascular structures. Also,
it is difficult to confirm whether the release is complete or not during operation
because of invisualization directly (Lee et al., 2018).

[[

_(Flexor tendon with incomplete A1 pulley release.)

There are studies about ultrasonography-guided percutaneous A1 pulley release with
the needle knife showing that the ultrasonography-guided surgery has significantly
better grade
postoperatively and reached to 100% complete release in one time compared
to the blind group. Moreover, no complications had been recorded in the ultrasonography-
guided group. Ultrasound provides a direct and precise visualization of the thickness,
width and location of A1 pulley lesion. The combined use of ultrasound and the needle
knife can achieve the best result for trigger finger ( tendovaginitis stenosans).
Moreover, the combination changes the traditional opinion and operator-dependent
mode that were once widely adopted in hospitals in chinese medicine.

 US scans performed with high-resolution, broad-band high frequency transducers
allows superb visualization of the flexor tendons of the hand and the annular digital.
Both the color doppler mini linear WiFi ultrasound scaner [SIFULTRAS-3.51](https://sifsof.com/product/mini-linear-wifi-ultrasound-scanner-sifultras-3-51-with-needle-guide/)
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Comes with needle guide holder. Hence it can be directly set to the guide pin frame.
Coupled with the software that can quickly locate the depth and diameter of puncture’s
navigation.

 The standard approach therefore is an in-plane technique where there is visualisation
of the long axis of the needle knife and the needle tip is better tracked.

This procedure is performed by: Orthopedic hand surgeons.

References:
[Ultrasound-Guided Microinvasive Trigger Finger Release Technique Combined With Three Tests to Confirm a Complete Release](https://journals.lww.com/ajpmr/Abstract/2020/12000/Ultrasound_Guided_Microinvasive_Trigger_Finger.12.aspx)

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