title: Open versus percutaneous release for trigger digits: Reversal between short-term and long-term outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been excellent outcomes reported with both open and percutaneous release of trigger finger. However, a comparison of short- and long-term outcomes between these two techniques has not been performed. The purpose of this study is to compare the short-term (3 months) and long-term (2 years) outcomes between open surgical release and percutaneous needle release of trigger finger.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2009 and 2012, a total of 198 patients with trigger finger treated with either open (n = 72) or percutaneous (n = 126) release of the A1 pulley were enrolled in the study. Both short-term and long-term outcomes were evaluated, using the criteria established through Gilberts et al's questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The short-term satisfaction of patients with their results was significantly better in the percutaneous release group, whereas the long-term satisfaction rates were better in the open-release group, although not at a statistically significant level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The percutaneous release method to release trigger finger does not have a better long-term satisfaction rate than the open release approach, although percutaneous release has a significantly better short-term satisfaction rate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Kinmen Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Kinmen, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chin-Jung
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics, Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan, ROC; Chung Hwa University of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Hui-Kuang
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Shih-Tien
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yi-Chao
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Chien-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC; Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address: jpwang@vghtpe.gov.tw.
authors.forename: Jung-Pan
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D052582:Trigger Finger Disorder / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: open release; percutaneous release; pulley; treatment; trigger finger