J Wound Manag Res.  2020 Oct;16(3):198-201. 10.22467/jwmr.2020.01291.

Treatment and Rehabilitation for Ruptured Flexor Digitorum Profundus Tendon after Steroid Injection in Trigger Finger and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Park J
• Roh SY

• KMID: 2511200
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.22467/jwmr.2020.01291

Abstract

The authors report cases of treatment and rehabilitation for flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) tendon rupture of the little finger in patients with history of steroid injection. In case 1, a 43-year-old man had been given two local corticosteroid injections on the palm over 8 weeks due to trigger finger of his left little finger. While doing chin-ups 1 week after the last injection, he experienced a painful snapping in his left little finger and lost flexion of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint. In case 2, a 49-year-old man had been diagnosed with ipsilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and was given local corticosteroid injection on the wrist. Two months after the injection the patient experienced sudden loss of flexion on the DIP joint of his left little finger while playing golf. During operation, an intratendinous rupture of the FDP tendon of the little finger was present and direct tendon repair was done in both patients. Continuous splint remolding was performed according to the range of motion. The range of motion was checked continuously at the ward and outpatient clinic every week. The final results of treatment were checked 6 months after surgery by the criteria developed by Strickland and Glogovac in 1980.

Keyword

Corticosteroid; Flexor; Tendon rupture; Rehabilitation