Treatment of pediatric congenital flexor tendon stenosis tenosynovitis

The difference between pediatric stenosing tenosynovitis and adult stenosing tenosynovitis: stenosing tenosynovitis is called snapping finger or trigger finger and is mostly manifested as a deformity in the flexion of the interphalangeal joint. In pediatric patients, it is commonly caused by congenital malformations, mostly in the thumb, followed by the middle and ring fingers, which are detected weeks or months after birth, but often do not attract the attention of parents until about 2 years of age or even older; whereas in adults, the formation of stenosing tenosynovitis is mostly due to frequent activities of the fingers, causing repeated friction between the deep and superficial flexor tendons of the fingers and the tendon sheath, resulting in edema and thickening of the tendon sheath wall itself, and then adhesions In addition, the secretion of synovial fluid is reduced after the injury, which narrows the lumen and hinders the tendon activity.  Therefore, the etiology of pediatric stenosing tenosynovitis differs from that of adults and is mostly a congenital malformation. Wu Jieping et al. suggested that it is due to malformation of the long flexor thumb tendon during fetal life or due to hypertrophy of the seed bone or hypertrophy of the interosseous ligament between the two seed bones.  Diagnosis and differential diagnosis: Pediatric stenosing tenosynovitis of the finger is mostly manifested as semi-flexion of the affected finger, which cannot be actively straightened, and a popping sound can be heard when the interphalangeal joint is triggered to straighten, and a hard node can be palpated on the palmar side of the metacarpophalangeal joint without obvious pressure pain. It is not difficult to make a diagnosis from the clinical manifestations, but it should be distinguished from flexion finger deformity. The latter is a rare congenital deformity, most common in the little finger, followed by flexion contracture of the proximal interphalangeal joint of the middle finger. If found in the thumb, the deformity is located in the metacarpophalangeal joint, but the important sign is that the nodule cannot be palpated at the palmar aspect of the metacarpophalangeal joint.  Efficacy analysis: We have observed good results in adults using herbal infusions in stage I, but poorer results in children, such as those with mild symptoms can be observed and gentle manipulation administered to avoid local irritation, but, in general, surgical treatment is the only proven method. One reason is that unlike adults, children can cooperate with treatment; another reason is that children are growing and developing, and the tendon sheaths are in constant development. It is important not to injure the finger blood vessels and finger nerves on both sides of the tendon during surgery.  On the 14th day after surgery, Chinese herbal medicine soak is used. Sumac, Salvia, safflower, frankincense, myrrh, qiangwu, wei lingxian and wu jiapi have the functions of activating blood circulation and dispelling blood stasis, softening and dispersing knots, plus the soak has the dual functions of heat therapy and pharmacotherapy, promoting local blood circulation and absorption of drugs, etc.  Most of the pediatric stenosing tenosynovitis is congenital and basically belongs to stage III. Therefore, we use small incision fixed-point release combined with Chinese medicine soaking to treat the disease is easy and safe, and the side effects are small and definite. The treatment of pediatric congenital stenosing tenosynovitis by this method has the advantages of less trauma, faster recovery, easy operation, relatively safe use, and definite efficacy, which is worth popularizing in primary hospitals.