Triggerfinger

What is a triggerfinger?
A trigger finger is a finger which gets stuck in flexion, i.e. you cannot straighten it after you have made a fist.
It is usually worse in the morning and progress from happening sometimes to being fixed.

Why do you get a triggerfinger?
The tendons to the fingers run under pulleys, to keep them from bowstringing when we bend the fingers. In triggerfingers the pulley in the palm and possible the tendon get inflamed and thicker and therefore do not run as smoothly as normally. This can be due to pregnancy, repeated trauma, Diabetes, early Dupuytren's disease, but most commonly we don't know why it happens.

What can I do about my triggerfinger?
You can have a steroid injection in the palm. This may solve the problem permanently, but sometimes it only has a transient effect and the problem returns. You can also have surgery, which is performed under Local Anaesthsia as a Day Case through a very small cut in your palm and is the permanent solution.

What happens after surgery?
You will have a bandage on for approximately 5 days, after which you see the Hand Therapist for a session.

Possible complications of surgery:
Infection
A bleed under the skin in the palm
Damage of the nerves or the vessels to the fingers (exceedingly rare)
Recurrence (very rare)
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (pain disproportionate with the procedure, needs urgent attention) – very very rare

Contact  0203 214 3617, 0207 467 3000 or 07578 876 549 for consultations       

Any inquiries please email: plasticsurgeryjemec@gmail.com