Hazards of steroid injection: Suppurative extensor tendon rupture

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 e...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Colin Yi-Loong Woon, Ee-San Phoon, Jonathan Yi-Liang Lee, Siew-Weng Ng, Lam-Chuan Teoh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc. 2010-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0039-1699413
Description
Summary: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.
ISSN:0970-0358
1998-376X