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NCT Number: NCT07683429

Local Corticosteroid Injection Versus Open Surgical Release in De Quervain Tenosynovitis: A Single-Center Study

This quasi-experimental study compared pain outcomes following local corticosteroid injection (CSI) versus open surgical release in 100 patients with clinically confirmed De Quervain tenosynovitis unresponsive to conservative management. Patients were allocated to treatment based on clinician judgment and patient preference. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, one month, and six months post-intervention. The study was conducted at a single tertiary care centre in Rawalpindi, Pakistan between March 2023 and April 2025.

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Key information

Conditions

DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis De Quervain Disease Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Tendinopathy Tendon Entrapment Tendon Injuries Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year–70 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital.

Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, 46000, Pakistan

About this study

De Quervain tenosynovitis is a stenosing tendinopathy of the first dorsal extensor compartment of the wrist, causing radial-sided wrist pain. One hundred patients were enrolled and allocated to either corticosteroid injection (CSI; n=49) or open surgical release (n=51). The CSI protocol consisted of triamcinolone acetonide (40mg/mL, 1mL) combined with 1% lidocaine (1mL) injected into the first dorsal compartment under aseptic conditions. Surgical release involved longitudinal decompression of the fibro-osseous sheath overlying the APL and EPB tendons. The primary outcome was VAS pain score at baseline, one month, and six months. Statistical analysis included independent t-tests and linear mixed-effects modeling.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinical diagnosis of De Quervain tenosynovitis confirmed by positive Finkelstein test
  • Age 18-70 years
  • Pain sufficiently severe to impair activities of daily living
  • Failure to respond to at least 4 weeks of conservative management

Exclusion criteria

  • Concurrent inflammatory arthropathy (rheumatoid arthritis or gout)
  • History of prior wrist injury
  • Previous surgical or injection treatment for De Quervain tenosynovitis
  • Coexisting upper limb pathology (rotator cuff pathology, epicondylitis, or carpal tunnel syndrome)

Treatment and study plan

Triamcinolone acetonide with lidocaine

Drug

Triamcinolone acetonide 40mg/mL (1mL) + 1% lidocaine (1mL) - single injection

Open surgical release of first dorsal extensor compartment

Procedure

Longitudinal decompression of the fibro-osseous sheath overlying APL and EPB tendons

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain intensity - Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: Time Frame: Baseline, 1 month, and 6 months post-intervention

    Pain scored on a 0-10 VAS scale where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst imaginable pain, assessed by a blinded assessor

Secondary outcomes

  1. Adverse events

    Time frame: Throughout 6-month follow-up period

    Any complications or adverse events recorded in either treatment group

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital, District Headquarter Hospital, Rawalpindi

Other Gov

Registry information

Official study title

Comparative Effectiveness of Local Corticosteroid Injection and Open Surgical Release for Pain Outcomes in De Quervain Tenosynovitis: A Single-Centre Study

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Jul 6, 2026
Registry last updated
Jul 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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