DiPasquale AM, Krauss EM, Simpson A, Mckee DE, Lalonde DH. Cases of Early Infectious Flexor Tenosynovitis Treated Non-Surgically With Antibiotics, Immobilization, and Elevation.
Plast Surg (Oakv) 2017;
25:272-274. [PMID:
29619351 DOI:
10.1177/2292550317731765]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Early infectious flexor tenosynovitis has been treated with urgent surgery by most surgeons since Bunnell wrote the first textbook of hand surgery in 1945. Some surgeons have good experience with non-surgical management of early presenting disease in some cases.
Methods
This retrospective chart review included 12 inpatients with early infectious flexor synovitis who received conservative treatment with antibiotics, immobilization, and elevation without surgical drainage.
Results
The mean time to resolution of infective symptoms for the 12 patients was 5 days (range: 2-11 days) for those receiving conservative management. Half of them required hand therapy. Eight of the 12 patients had good documentation of a full return of hand function.
Conclusions
In some patients with early infectious flexor synovitis, urgent surgery may not be required. We present a brief synopsis of 12 such cases.
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