Sequelae of foreign bodies in the wrist and hand

Background

Penetrating injuries to the hand are a common occurrence in the emergency room, and embedment of foreign bodies is suspected in many of these cases. The existing literature offers little information on retained foreign bodies. The aim of this study was to identify characteristics, determine prevalence, and observe outcomes for retained foreign bodies in the wrist and hand.

Methods

Four hundred thirty-seven consecutive hand and wrist radiographs in 437 patients from the emergency department of a level 1 trauma center were reviewed for the presence of retained foreign bodies. Location, size, number, and type of foreign body were recorded. Patient demographics, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, and treatment were obtained from medical records. All subsequent hospital and outpatient encounters were reviewed. Follow-up period was 18 months (range, 1–40).

Results

Of 437 cases, 65 patients (15 %) had at least one retained foreign body. Nineteen patients underwent removal of foreign body at initial presentation. The average size of foreign bodies removed was 6 mm, compared to 3 mm for those retained. Of 46 patients where the foreign body was left in situ, two (4 %) developed symptoms directly related to the retained foreign body. One of these patients underwent removal.

Conclusions

This study supports the safe removal of foreign bodies which are easily accessible or when part of a broader procedure to repair injured structures. Otherwise, we advocate expectant management for all other patients, as the likelihood of persistent symptoms is low and only 2 % of retained foreign bodies required removal later.     

Tuberculous tenosynovitis of hand and wrist: a report of two cases

Tuberculous tenosynovitis of the wrist and hand is a rare condition that presents as chronic painless swelling, tenosynovitis and occasional compressive neuropathy. There is usually a striking lack of pulmonary symptoms. Two patients of tuberculous tenosynovitis of wrist and hand, who were managed at a tertiary health care centre, are presented. Both were young healthy adult males with isolated tenosynovitis of one hand each, without any associated systemic or pulmonary features. Both had been reviewed earlier at other tertiary referral centers without establishing the correct diagnosis. They presented with painful swelling in the wrist and palm. One patient also had features of ulnar nerve compressive neuropathy. Intra-operatively, both had thickened synovium of flexor tendons with "rice bodies" within the synovial fluid. Surgical management consisted of synovectomy and decompression of the nerves. Post-operatively, both were given full anti-tubercular treatment. On follow-up of over three years, they have remained free from recurrence. The slow progressive course of clinical symptoms and lack of radiological signs of tuberculosis leads to difficulties in establishing early diagnosis of this rare localized tuberculous infection. The functional outcome depends on early diagnosis and surgical intervention for symptomatic patients, thus emphasizing the importance of awareness of this rare entity.     

Gouty tenosynovitis of the wrist

A 56-year-old man presented with a mass of the right wrist limiting excursion of the digits. Operative exploration demonstrated gouty infiltration of the flexor tendons. The tendons were debrided of the urate crystalline material and the motion of the digits returned, preserving all tendon function. The patient later returned with symptoms of carpal tunnel in the contralateral wrist. Exploration of the carpal tunnel revealed similar infiltration of the flexor tendons. The tendons were debrided and the carpal tunnel syndrome resolved.     

Ultrasound prevalence of wrist,hand, ankle and foot synovitis and tenosynovitis in systemic sclerosis,and relationship with disease features and hand disability

IntroductionIn systemic sclerosis, few studies have shown that hand and wrist ultrasound is more sensitive than clinical examination in the detection of synovitis and tenosynovitis. Even fewer studies have investigated ankle and foot involvement with ultrasound. Our objectives were to investigate ultrasound prevalence of wrist, hand, ankle and foot synovitis and tenosynovitis in patients with systemic sclerosis classified with ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria, and to study their relationship with disease features and hand disability.MethodsConsecutive patients with systemic sclerosis, classified with ACR/EULAR 2013 criteria, were included in a monocentric cross-sectional study. They underwent standardized musculoskeletal clinical examination and hand, wrist, ankle and foot ultrasound. Clinical, biological and imaging data were also collected.ResultsFifty-five patients were included. Ultrasound was more sensitive than clinical examination to detect at least one synovitis (respectively 52% versus 25%, P = 0.025) and at least one tenosynovitis (respectively 16% versus 4%, P = 0.009); 18% of patients had ankle tenosynovitis and 29% had ankle and/or foot synovitis, mostly located at metatarsophalangeal joints (25.5%). Having at least one ultrasound hand synovitis was associated with higher Cochin hand functional disability scale (mean 25 ± 3 versus 12 ± 2, P = 0.003) and diffuse cutaneous subset (P = 0.038).ConclusionOur study shows that ultrasound is more sensitive than clinical examination to detect synovitis and tenosynovitis in systemic sclerosis. The foot involvement is less frequent than hand involvement, mainly localized at metatarsophalangeal joint. Finally, having at least one synovitis of the hand is associated with diffuse cutaneous subset and higher hand disability.     

An uncommon occupational accident: tuberculous tenosynovitis of the extensor tendons of the hand

We present a case of tuberculous tenosynovitis of the extensor tendons of the hand. Our patient was a young doctor working in the respiratory medicine department. He was injured on the dorsal aspect of the hand with a needle used for pleural aspiration. The clinical features consisted of gradually swelling, mild pain and stiffness of the metacarpophalangeal joint. The diagnosis was made after synovectomy. Histological and bacteriological examinations revealed tuberculosis. Treatment consisted of synovectomy and appropriate antibiotics. The clinical course was excellent after one year follow-up. Tuberculous tenosynovitis of the hand is a rare manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis occurring in fewer than 5% of all cases of skeletal tuberculosis. Thickening of the tendon or synovial sheath and local accumulation of fluid are the characteristic manifestations. The diagnosis must be confirmed by surgical biopsy. Antibiotics and synovectomy achieve a good functional result.     

De quervain tenosynovitis of the wrist

De quervain disease, or stenosing tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, is a common wrist pathology. Pain results from resisted gliding of the abductor pollicis longus and the extensor pollicis brevis tendons in the fibro-osseus canal. de Quervain tenosynovitis of the wrist is more common in women than men. Diagnosis may be made on physical examination. Radiographs are helpful in ruling out offending bony pathology. Nonsurgical management, consisting of corticosteroid injections and supportive thumb spica splinting, is usually successful. In resistant cases, surgical release of the first dorsal compartment is done, taking care to protect the radial sensory nerve and identify all accessory compartments. Repair of the extensor retinaculum by step-cut lengthening or other techniques is rarely required.     

Gouty tenosynovitis in the hand

Gouty tenosynovitis can present as an infection, tendon rupture, nerve compression, or digital stiffness. In ten patients, extensive urate deposition was encountered in the extensor tendons at both the wrist and digital levels in addition to involvement of the flexor tendons in the carpal canal and digital theca. Direct nerve or muscle involvement was not observed in the hand. Medical therapy, which is now the cornerstone of treatment for most aspects of gout, may not be the best treatment for tophaceous deposits in the hand. Operative treatment may be required to debulk tophaceous deposits, improve tendon gliding, decompress nerves, allow increased range of motion of joints, and ameliorate pain.     

Tuberculous tenosynovitis of the hand

Diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous hand infection present a distinctive challenge for the hand surgeons. Infection caused by these uncommon organism occurs more often in immunocompromised patient. This contribution emphasizes the salient feature of mycobacterial hand infection. Prompt surgical débridement and tissue diagnosis are essential for the diagnosis and treatment of this type of infection. With an accurate and timely diagnosis, appropriate surgical and anti-tuberculous treatment may eradicate these unusual infections.     

A case of isolated tuberculous tenosynovitis of the flexor tendon of the third finger of the hand

A 55-year-old female patient presented with a painless swelling in the palm of the right hand, causing restriction of the third finger. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a synovial lesion in the flexor tendon sheath of the third finger, showing heterogenous contrast. Open biopsy and histopathological studies showed a granulomatous infectious reaction of the synovial tissue. A diagnosis of tuberculosis was made, after which antituberculosis treatment was instituted. Total regression was achieved after nine months of medical treatment without further extensive surgical measures. At the end of nine months, the movements of the finger were found to be normal and painless.     

Tuberculous extensor tenosynovitis of the hand

Tuberculous tenosynovitis is a rare manifestation of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (Tb), especially if solely the dorsal hand compartment is affected. In this report, we present the medical history of an immuno-competent 32-year-old man presented with a painful swelling of the right dorsal wrist. Initial inflammation onset had occurred 6?months before he consulted our service, resulting in consultation of several physicians and extensive diagnostic procedures without gaining a specific diagnosis. Finally, after extensive diagnostic tests, a tenosynovectomy was performed and tuberculosis-induced extensor tenosynovitis was detected. The diagnosis was established by positive histology, repeated specific PCR and T-SPOT.TB. Tuberculous tenosynovitis can easily be overlooked as a cause of chronic tenosynovitis particularly in immunocompetent young people lacking any risk factors.     

Candida albicans tenosynovitis of the hand

Invasive fungal infections of the hand are extremely rare and usually require an immunocompromised host. We report the first known case of Candida albicans tenosynovitis of the hand presenting as a mass in a boy with Buckley's immunodeficiency. Treatment was successful after radical synovectomy of both the flexor and extensor aspects of the hand after he failed to respond to combined amphotericin B and 5-fluorouracil therapy. Fungal tenosynovitis should be considered when swelling and decreased range of motion occur in the hands or digits of an immunocompromised host, especially if pain is not a prominent symptom.     

Ultrasound detected synovitis,tenosynovitis and erosions in hand and wrist joints: a comparative study between rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis

ObjectivesMusculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) has been introduced as a valuable simple imaging tool for arthritis. The objective was to assess the role of ultrasound (US) in the differential diagnosis between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) at the wrist and hand joints and tendons.Material and methodsThirty-five patients (20 RA and 15 PsA) with symptomatic involvement of at least one of the hand and/or wrist joints for > 6 weeks were included. Bilateral wrists (distal radioulnar, radiocarpal and midcarpal joints), hands (1^st–5^th metacarpophalangeal [MCP], 2ⁿd–5^th proximal interphalangeal [PIP] and 1^st–5^th distal interphalangeal [DIP] joints), flexor tendons and extensor compartments at the level of the wrist joint were examined sonographically. Synovial hypertrophy, joint effusion, erosions and tenosynovitis were diagnosed according to Outcome Measures in Rheumatology definitions. The findings were correlated with clinical, laboratory and disease activity indices.ResultsAmong 680 and 510 joints examined in RA and PsA respectively, certain US features such as synovitis and erosions at the DIP were exclusively detected in PsA (p < 0.001). Synovitis was frequently detected at the distal radioulnar joints (DRUJ) in RA in comparison to PsA patients (52.5% vs. 26.7% respectively, p = 0.029). Joint effusion was more frequently detected at radiocarpal and midcarpal joints in RA compared to PsA (p = 0.047, 0.039 respectively), whereas erosions were significantly more frequently detected at radiocarpal joints in RA versus PsA patients (45% vs. 20% respectively, p = 0.029). Tenosynovitis was significantly more frequently detected at the extensor tendons in RA and at the flexor tendons in PsA patients (p = 0.021, 0.022 respectively).ConclusionsThere are significant differences in the musculoskeletal US findings of the hand and wrist that joints help to distinguish between RA and PsA.     

Isolated tuberculous tenosynovitis of the flexor tendon of the fourth finger of the hand. Case report.

A 21-year-old woman presented with a painful swelling of her palm which prevented her from fully extending her fourth finger. Magnetic resonance imaging showed synovial thickening around the flexor tendon and fluid in the tendon sheath. The mass was excised and histopathological examination showed tuberculosis. She had a six-month course of antituberculous treatment and was perfectly well three years later.