If you notice significant chronic pain along the base of your finger, experience finger locking in the flexed position, and thus avoid flexing the finger to avoid the pain of a locked finger, you might be suffering from Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis).
Other identifying symptoms include:
These symptoms are generally mild at first, but steadily get worse over time. The condition can also affect the thumb and can occur in more than one finger at a time and/or present symptoms in both hands. Trigger finger is caused by inflammation, irritation, and swelling of the tendon sheath that over time leads to scarring and thickening that impacts the tendon’s natural movement through it. The locking symptom—and associated pain—is a result of the finger tendon getting caught or pinched in a compromised sheath.
Any condition that causes inflammation, irritation, and swelling in the hands can lead to trigger finger, though it’s more common in women than men and typically affects older people starting at about age 40. Diabetes, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis have been identified as underlying causes, and the condition is more common among those whose jobs or pastimes require repetitive finger movements, such as musicians, factory workers, and farmers.
Assess and Treat Your Trigger Finger at Naples Plastic Surgery
If you have been experiencing symptoms associated with trigger finger in the southwest Florida area, consider a consultation with Dr. Jason Crespo, MD, a board-eligible plastic surgeon and hand surgeon at Naples Plastic Surgery. Dr. Crespo’s extensive medical training in orthopedic hand surgery and plastic surgery makes him uniquely qualified to assess and treat all issues that impact proper functioning of the hands and fingers.
Trigger Finger Treatments in Naples
Prior to suggesting any treatment options, Dr. Crespo will assess your medical history and conduct a physical examination of your hand. In addition to checking for areas of pain, smoothness of motion, and physical evidence of locking, your surgeon will look for any lumps or bumps associated with the condition. Dr. Crespo typically relies on two different treatments to address trigger finger: steroid injection and trigger finger release surgery.
Steroid injection treatment involves an injection of corticosteroids right into or near the tendon sheath. The steroid helps decrease inflammation in and around the sheath with the goal of easing compression that may be hindering the tendon’s movement through it. The treatment typically only provides short-term (six months to a year) relief for the condition, though more than one injection may be needed and the procedure may not prove effective for everyone. In particular, those with diabetes report limited efficacy with steroid injection treatments.
Trigger finger release surgery provides a long-term and usually permanent cure, as the surgery opens up the constricted portion of the sheath. Dr. Crespo performs the outpatient surgery with the majority of his patients using what is known as “WALANT” (wide-awake, local-anesthesia, with the option to perform with or without a tourniquet) surgery with minimal incisions. This means that there is hardly any downtime and most patients can use the affected hand immediately. Some patients, such as those prone to anxiety, are not eligible for WALANT, but can have the same surgical procedure performed under a regional anesthetic and monitored IV sedation.
Patients typically experience immediate relief from triggering and a rapid easing of any other symptoms. Dr. Crespo conducts a follow-up exam about 10 to 14 days after the surgery, at which point the stitches are removed.
Naples Plastic Surgery places the same commitment to superior patient care, comfort, and individualized service on our hand surgery patients as we do for our cosmetic patients. We strive to treat you like you’re the only patient in our office each step of the way, and our staff and surgeons go above and beyond to ensure your comfort, relaxation, and that all questions or concerns are addressed.
Also, as a plastic surgeon, Dr. Crespo keeps the final aesthetic result of a procedure at the forefront of his mind alongside the functional result. Plastic surgeons are experts at minimizing the appearance of scarring and helping ensure a full cosmetic recovery after any kind of surgery, and hand surgery is no exception.
At Naples Plastic Surgery, our cosmetic services are designed to contour and enhance your body to help you achieve the body image that you desire. Known for offering among the best facial plastic surgery in Naples, our board-certified surgeons are known as much for their artistry as they are for their surgical skills. We understand that your image is the key to feeling great, so we will provide you with the most reliable advice and services to help make you look and feel your best.
The surgical team at Naples Plastic Surgery has the training and experience necessary to help you pursue your own individual cosmetic goals down to the very last detail, all in a warm, comfortable, and private environment.
Dr. Jason Crespo, MD, is a board-eligible plastic and hand surgeon who is fluent in English and Spanish. He obtained his Medical Doctorate at The University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Dr. Crespo then completed an integrated plastic surgery residency, followed by an orthopedic hand fellowship at UMass Medical School in Worcester, MA.
The plastic surgery process at Naples Plastic Surgery begins with a one-on-one, confidential consultation in which your surgeon conducts an examination to determine which procedures are likely to produce the most robust aesthetic improvements. This includes a comprehensive discussion with you to identify the benefits, risks and costs associated with each procedure. It may be possible to combine a number of surgical procedures into a single surgery if you desire and if your medical condition permits it.
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Plastic Surgeons | Paul M. Gardner, MD, FACS | Leopoldo M. Baccaro, MD | Jason Crespo, MD