Aim: Symptoms, frequency of complaints, patient's subjective assessment, and relapse rate were evaluated in patients provided with injection therapy for stenosing tenovaginitis (ST).
Methods: Fifty-five patients (34 women, 21 men) suffering from ST underwent injection therapy of 0.25 ml triamcinolone and 0.25 ml mepivacain hydrochloride administered under the A1 pulley. Symptoms, frequency of complaints, subjective assessment, and evidence of recurrent disease were monitored for 5 years following injection therapy. Patients were divided into 3 groups: injection therapy with good outcome, injection therapy with poor outcome, and injection therapy but subsequently operated.
Results: The middle finger (38 %) and the ring finger (31 %) were affected most commonly. ST afflicted more women than men. Twenty-seven patients (49 %) showed long-term relief of symptoms. Sixty-six percent of patients experienced short-term relief of symptoms. Therapy failure was more common in men, in younger patients, and in patients with diabetes. Better results were seen in women, in older patients, and in patients with rheumatism. Complications of injection therapy did not occur during this study.
Conclusion: Injection therapy is a justifiable alternative to surgery in patients with ST. In this study, half of the patients treated described long-term relief of symptoms, and assessed the effects of injection therapy positively. Especially satisfied patients included women, older patients, and patients with rheumatism.