An interventional study of Intraoperative flexor tendon sheath irrigation and Postoperative flexor tendon sheath irrigation in Tenosynovitis, sponsored by Tampere University. Completed at 1 site in Finland. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-03-30.
Sponsored by Tampere University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study evaluates the effect of postoperative intermittent closed-catheter irrigation on the recovery from the purulent flexor tenosynovitis. One group of patients suffering from acute purulent flexor tenosynovitis is treated using intraoperative irrigation only and the other group having both intra- and postoperative irrigation.
The foundation of the successful management of purulent flexor tenosynovitis is the surgical debridement followed by an intravenous antibiotic treatment. Several surgical methods have been described to remove the purulent debris from the flexor tendon sheath. Closed-catheter irrigation involves irrigation of the tendon sheath from proximal to distal direction facilitated by two small incisions; one proximal to A1 pulley and one distal to A4 pulley. Lille et al. (J Hand Surg Br. 2000;25(3):304-307) conducted a retrospective study that implied that intraoperative closed-catheter irrigation without postoperative irrigation might be as effective as the combination of intra- and postoperative irrigation.
The hypothesis of this prospective randomized trial is that the intraoperative closed-catheter irrigation alone is as effective as the combination of intraoperative and postoperative intermittent closed-catheter irrigation in the treatment of purulent flexor tenosynovitis.
17 studies on the registry are indexed under Tenosynovitis; 4 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 48 is close to the median of 52 across 13 interventional studies indexed under Tenosynovitis.
Browse Tenosynovitis studies →Tampere University is the lead sponsor of 63 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
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clinical diagnosis of purulent flexor tenosynovitis with all four positive Kanavel's signs:
Exclusion Criteria:
The infected tendon sheath is irrigated intraoperatively, the catheter is removed, and small rubber srains are left in small incisions.
Procedure: Intraoperative flexor tendon sheath irrigation
The infected tendon sheath is irrigated intraoperatively, the catheter is kept in place, the irrigation is continued postoperatively 3 times a day for 3 days.
Procedure: Intraoperative flexor tendon sheath irrigation · Procedure: Postoperative flexor tendon sheath irrigation
Active range of movement of the most affected finger
The total active range of movement is calculated as: (active flexion of MCPJ + PIPJ + DIPJ) - (extension deficit of MCPJ + PIPJ + DIPJ). MCPJ, metacarpophalangeal joint; PIPJ, proximal interphalangeal joint; DIPJ, distal interphalangeal joint.
Time frame: 3 months postoperatively
Need for reoperation
Time frame: 3 months postoperatively
QuickDASH score
Time frame: 4 weeks and 3 months postoperatively
Pain at rest
Pain at rest (Visual analog scale)
Time frame: 4 weeks and 3 months postoperatively
This study is completed, as verified in Mar 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Tampere University