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- Talk
National Benchmarks for the Efficacy of Trigger Finger and the Risk Factors Associated With Failure
Description
In this presentation, Jennifer Lewis discusses her research on trigger finger, a common condition also known as stenosing tenosynovitis. She begins by expressing her gratitude to the COA for the opportunity to speak and acknowledges her co-authors' contributions. Lewis outlines the condition, which occurs due to a mismatch between the tendon sheath and the flexor tendon, and describes standard treatments such as anti-inflammatories, splinting, and corticosteroid injections.
She highlights the lack of extensive population studies focusing on treatment success rates for trigger finger and identifies three key research questions regarding corticosteroid injection effectiveness, surgery conversion rates after failed injections, and risk factors associated with injection therapy. Utilizing a national insurance database, the study evaluates patients diagnosed with trigger finger who received injections shortly after their diagnosis.
Lewis presents findings indicating high success rates following injections, though she notes that patients receiving multiple injections are more likely to eventually require surgery. Furthermore, obesity and carpal tunnel syndrome emerge as significant risk factors for injection failure.
She acknowledges the limitations of the study, particularly due to its reliance on a claims-based database, which restricts insights into treatment decision factors and short follow-up duration. Despite these limitations, the research population is one of the largest analyzed on this condition.
In conclusion, Lewis asserts that corticosteroid injections are effective for over 65% of patients, particularly with additional injections showing continuing success. However, she points out that obese patients and those with carpal tunnel syndrome are less likely to benefit from corticosteroid treatments. She thanks the audience and invites questions regarding her research.