Extension splint for trigger thumb in children.
Sixty-two reducible trigger thumbs in 50 children with age from 0 to 4 years (mean, 1 year 11 months) were reviewed to study the effect of splinting. Thirty-one thumbs in 24 children received splinting for a mean of 11.7 weeks. The other 31 thumbs in 26 children were only observed. The results were categorized as cured, improved, or nonimproved. Follow-up was conducted after a mean of 20 months (age, 43 months). Result in the splinted group showed cured in 12 thumbs, improved in 10 thumbs, and nonimproved in 9 thumbs, whereas in the observed group, result showed 4, 3, and 24, respectively. Splinting results in 71% trigger thumbs cured or improved that is better than observation alone. The subsequent surgical release for the nonimproved trigger thumbs after splinting still had excellent results. Because surgical release for trigger thumb is not urgent, we suggest extension splinting to be a treatment option before the elective surgery.
Lee
Zhon-Liau
ZL
Chang Gung Children Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan. jchase@lww.com
Chang
Chia-Hsieh
CH
Yang
Wen-Yi
WY
Hung
Shuo-Suei
SS
Shih
Chun-Hsiung
CH
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013165:Splints; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D052582:Trigger Finger Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*