Outcome of Percutaneous Release for Trigger Digits in Diabetic and Non-diabetic Patients

Abstract

Introduction Trigger finger (TF) is a common cause of hand pain, swelling, and limited motion. It is common in women and in the thumb. Diabetes mellitus (DM) increases the risk of TF. Individuals with DM who develop TF are resistant to both medical and surgical interventions. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of percutaneous trigger release in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Methods Fifty diabetic and 50 non-diabetic patients with a clinical diagnosis of TF were included after informed consent. Percutaneous trigger release was performed in all of them. Follow-ups for pain and/or neurovascular complications were taken after one week, one month, and six months. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS v. 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, US). Results In the diabetic group, 86% of patients had TF of grade III or above and in the non-diabetic group, 76% of patients had TF of grade III or above. At the one-week follow-up, 79.2% diabetic patients still had mild to severe pain and 60.4% non-diabetic patients had mild to severe pain. By one month, 40% patients in the diabetic group still reported mild to moderate pain, however, all patients in the non-diabetic group reported no pain. By six months, nine (20%) diabetic patients reported mild pain. There was no incidence of infection or neurovascular damage at any follow-up in the non-diabetic group, and in the diabetic group, 4.2% of patients had an infection on the one-week follow-up. Conclusion Percutaneous trigger finger release is a safe, reliable, time-saving, and cost-effective procedure for the management of trigger finger in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.