What is trigger finger surgery?

Trigger finger is when your finger or thumb is stuck or locked in a curled position. This can cause pain regardless of whether you are actively using your hand. In addition, it can cause hindrance in doing your daily tasks such as texting, buttoning your clothes or playing the guitar. 

The flexor tendon is a tendon in your fingers activated by your muscles to pull on the finger bones – allowing your finger to bend and flex freely. Trigger finger surgery releases the tendon from the sheath that it was catching on and normal use of the hand can be regained upon recovery.

Why do you need  trigger finger surgery?

When you experience trigger finger, your surgeon might recommend rest splints, anti-inflammatory medicine, steroid injections or exercises. However, if neither of these work and you are still experiencing severe symptoms or if you have diabetes, your surgeon may then recommend trigger finger surgery.

What can you expect when undergoing trigger finger surgery?

Preparing for Trigger Finger Surgery

On the day of the surgery, your surgeon will mark your affected finger or thumb and possibly extend the finger or thumb to make it easier for your surgeon to access the affected tendon.  

You will be under local anaesthesia with sedation.

During Trigger Finger Surgery

There are two types of trigger finger surgery: open surgery and percutaneous release:

  • Open surgery: Your surgeon makes an incision in your palm, in line with the affected finger or thumb. The tendon sheath is then cut and your surgeon moves affected finger or thumb around to check that the motion is smooth. The incision is then stitched up.
  • Percutaneous release: Your surgeon inserts a needle into the skin around your affected tendon. The needle and your affected finger is then moved around to break apart the blocked area. An ultrasound is sometimes used by your surgeon so that he/she can see that the tip of the needle opens the tendon sheath. There is no incision made.

After Trigger Finger Surgery

After the surgery and when the numbness wears off, you will be able to have a full range of motion in your affected finger. 

You will likely need to wear a bandage on your affected finger for four to five days and your finger and palm will be sore for a couple of days. Hand therapy or specific hand exercises may be recommended by your surgeon. 

For full swelling and stiffness to disappear, it may take between three to six months. Patients who undergo percutaneous release may recover faster.

Why choose Novena Surgery for trigger finger surgery?

Doctors who choose to perform trigger finger surgery at Novena Surgery will perform the procedure in one of four modular operating theaters with cable-less pendant systems, allowing doctors to operate free of stray wiring obstruction.

Post-procedure, patients can choose to recover in one of Novena Surgery’s comfortable private suites, or in our 12-bed recovery unit under the care of well-trained nursing staff.

Waiting times are also shortened as patients need only turn up half-an-hour before their surgery, and be checked into the ward within 10 minutes of arrival. 

Patients’ companions have the option of patronising Velocity, Square and Square 2 shopping malls that are seamlessly integrated with Novena Medical Centre, the building housing Novena Surgery.

I want to undergo trigger finger surgery in Novena Surgery but I do not have a specialist doctor in mind yet.

This list consists of specialists who commonly perform trigger finger surgery at Novena Surgery – contact us at +65-6254 9331 or admin@novenasurgery.com.sg and we will help you book a consultation appointment with a specialist doctor from the list.

Name of Specialist ClinicName of Specialist DoctorSpecialist Clinic AddressSpecialist Clinic Opening Hours
Hand Wrist & Microsurgical CentreDr Looi Kok PohNovena Medical Centre, #08-14 Inliven Medical, 10 Sinaran Dr, Singapore 307506
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 6:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Advanced Hand, Wrist & Nerve CentreDr Jacqueline TanMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road, #08-62/63, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Centre for Hand and Reconstructive MicrosurgeryDr Lim Beng HaiMount Elizabeth Medical Centre
3 Mount Elizabeth # 06-05, Singapore 228510
 
Paragon Medical Suites
290 Orchard Road #09-08, Singapore 238859
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
The Orthopaedic CentreDr Chin Pak LinMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road #09-42, Singapore 329563
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
BJIOS OrthopaedicsDr Peter Lee1 Farrer Park Station Rd, #13-15 to 20 Connexion, Singapore 217562Monday to Friday: 8:30am to 5:30pm
Saturday: 8:30am to 12:30pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
Orthosports Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports MedicineDr David Paul Bell38 Irrawaddy Road #10-41 Mt. Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Singapore 329563Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed
The Orthopaedic CentreDr Tan Chyn HongMount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, 38 Irrawaddy Road #09-42, Singapore 329563
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Sun & Public Holiday: Closed