Background: De Quervain's tenosynovitis is a relatively common, painful condition. Although commonly managed nonoperatively, some patients have recalcitrant disease, necessitating surgical release. Traditional surgical release for de Quervain's tenosynovitis with simple retinacular release can leave patients susceptible to first dorsal extensor compartment tendon subluxation. We present a stair-step flap technique that releases the first dorsal compartment while simultaneously preventing postoperative tendon subluxation via fascial lengthening.
Methods: All patients over the past decade who underwent surgical release with this technique were collected. Preoperative characteristics, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes were reviewed and aggregated as summary statistics.
Results: A total of 101 patients were found. Of these, 35 patients had isolated first dorsal compartment release. Tourniquet time for the total group was 1 hour and that for the isolated first dorsal compartment release subgroup was 20 minutes. The average follow-up was 590 days for the total group and only 440 days for the isolated first dorsal compartment release subgroup. No patients who underwent our novel technique experienced subluxation of the tendons postoperatively. One patient required oral antibiotics for a superficial cellulitis, and 1 patient had recurrent symptoms due to excessive scarring that resolved with scar massage and steroid injection. No patient required repeat operations.
Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that first dorsal compartment release with a stair-step incision allows for closure of the compartment with a very loose sheath without subluxation and simultaneously provides satisfactory decompression. This procedure is safe and efficacious and can be considered a useful modification to traditional retinacular release alone.
Level of evidence: Level III.
Keywords: anatomy; diagnosis; pain; research and health outcomes; specialty; surgery; tendon; treatment; wrist.