Open AccessHazards of steroid injection: Suppurative extensor tendon rupture
Author(s) -
Colin Yi-Loong Woon,
Ee San Phoon,
Jonathan Yi-Liang Lee,
Siew Weng Ng,
Lam-Chuan Teoh
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
indian journal of plastic surgery/indian journal of plastic surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.299
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1998-376X
pISSN - 0970-0358
DOI - 10.4103/0970-0358.63971
Subject(s) - medicine , tenosynovitis , tendon rupture , carpal tunnel syndrome , surgery , tendon , wrist , trigger finger , tendon sheath , natural history , synovitis , dorsum , arthritis , anatomy , pathology , alternative medicine
Local steroid injections are often administered in the office setting for treatment of trigger finger, carpal tunnel syndrome, de Quervain's tenosynovitis, and basal joint arthritis. If attention is paid to sterile technique, infectious complications are rare. We present a case of suppurative extensor tenosynovitis arising after local steroid injection for vague symptoms of dorsal hand and wrist pain. The progression of signs and symptoms following injection suggests a natural history involving bacterial superinfection leading to tendon rupture. We discuss the pitfalls of local steroid injection and the appropriate management of infectious extensor tenosynovitis arising in such situations.