General information about the therapy of the fast finger
After the patient has used all conservative options (especially the cortisone injection) with a finger that is moving quickly, but no permanent healing has occurred, a hand surgeon should be consulted to surgically treat the moving finger. The aim of the operation is to remove the constriction between the thickened flexor tendon of the affected finger and the ring band.
General information about the operation
Surgical therapy of the fast finger is a small procedure that is performed under local anesthesia and usually takes only a few minutes. The patient is usually allowed to leave the practice/hospital immediately after the local anesthesia has worn off and the operated finger can be moved again immediately afterwards. Depending on the suture material used by the surgeon, the stitches still have to be removed after approx.
10 days, since there are also self-absorbable sutures that do not have to be removed. However, it depends on the procedure which suture material is used. First of all, the doctor must inform the patient in detail about the upcoming operation with possible complications at least 24 hours before the planned operation and the patient must give his consent.
On the day of surgery, the hand to be treated is first drained of blood and then a tourniquet is applied. Thus the operation can be performed without major bleeding. This tourniquet may only be maintained for a short period of time in order not to endanger the blood circulation in the hand.
Then a local anesthetic (local anesthetic) is injected into the region to be operated on. It may take a few minutes until the full effect is achieved. Afterwards the sterile washing of the operating area and the sterile covering of the finger take place.
This is to prevent infections in the area of the wound. Now the doctor makes a small, approx. 1 cm long skin incision on the inside of the hand above the affected tendon, which is the cause of the quickening finger. The tendon sheath is opened and the ring ligament is severed. Now the skin is closed again and a bandage is applied to protect the fresh scar from infection.
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