Limited evidence for benefits of open surgery for trigger finger

Low-quality evidence indicated that, compared with steroid injection, open surgical treatment in people with trigger finger might result in a lower recurrence rate from 6 up to 12 months following the treatment, although it increased the incidence of pain during the first follow-up week. There was uncertainty about the effect of open surgery with regard to the resolution rate in follow-up at 6 to 12 months, compared with steroid injections, due to high heterogeneity and few events occurring in the trials; there was uncertainty too about the risk of adverse events and neurovascular injury because of the few events occurring in the studies. The age range of participants included in the studies was 16 to 88 years, and the majority were women (approximately 70%). The average duration of symptoms ranged from 3 to 15 months, and the follow-up after the procedure ranged from 8 weeks to 23 months.