Evaluation of Effectiveness of Local Anesthetic Injection in Patients With De Quervain Tenosynovitis

In each session, 20 ml of local anesthetic (1:100 mixture of 10 mg/mL procaine) was used. Local injections, C5-T8 segmental injections, trigger point injections of the forearm muscles and stellate ganglion injections were applied in each session, using a 27-gauge, 4-6 cm needle. The local injection was applied first in the first extensor compartment at the point of maximal tenderness and was directed proximally toward the radial styloid (3 mL of the mixture). Then the forearm muscles were investigated by palpation to determine the trigger points. If any trigger point was detected, approximately 5 mL lidocaine was injected to that point. C5-T8 segmental injections were applied intradermally to each spinous process and to 0.5-2 cm lateral of each process on the affected side (approximately 0.25-0.5 ml per injection). Finally, the stellate ganglion injection was applied using Fischer's modified technique. The sternocleidomastoid muscle was palpated by the physician between the middle and distal third, gently pulling the muscle laterally with the neurovascular bundle. Following palpation of the anterior tubercle of the transverse process of the sixth cervical vertebra, the cervical spine was extended and rotated 45° to the opposite side. The needle entry point was 1 mm below the tubercle, then the needle was directed 45° caudally, 45° medially and 45° dorsally. If the aspiration was negative, 3mL procaine was injected

Inclusion criteria

• The patients are diagnosed clinically using the Finkelstein test (in which the patient flexes the thumb and wraps the fingers over thumb, then the physician stabilizes the forearm and ulnarly deviates the wrist)
• The presence of pain over the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons is accepted as positivity
• Patients between 18-65 years and presence of positive Finkelstein test are included the study.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients are excluded from the study if they have chronic widespread or local musculoskeletal pain due to rheumatological (i.e., fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis), neurological diseases (i.e., multiple sclerosis, cervical discopathy or plexopathy), trauma or surgery to the related region (wrist, elbow or hand), or are aged <18 years or >65 years