Ultrasound-guided first annular pulley injection for trigger finger

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop an ultrasound-guided first annular (A1) pulley injection technique for trigger finger with documentation of outcomes at 1 year.

Methods: We performed a short-axis injection into a triangle bordered by the A1 pulley, the flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus tendons and volar plate, and the distal metacarpal bone with a 10-mg median dose of triamcinolone acetonide and 2% lidocaine. This was a prospective study of 50 of 52 consecutive trigger fingers from 24 patients recruited from a physical medicine and rehabilitation private practice.

Results: All patients were available for follow-up, with 94% (47 of 50) of fingers having complete resolution of symptoms at 6 months, 90% (37 of 41) at 1 year, 65% (17 of 26) at 18 months, and 71% (12 of 17) at 3 years after a single injection.

Conclusions: Our ultrasound-guided A1 pulley injection technique is a highly effective and minimally invasive treatment option for trigger finger with a 90% success rate at 1 year for complete resolution of symptoms after a single injection. Assuming similar patient populations, our results were statistically significant (P < .01) compared with the 56% to 57% success rates recently reported for blind injections.