Thumb Injection eMedicine Procedures

Description: De Quervain disease is a common condition that occurs with repetitive use of the thumb. It is a tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, involving the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis tendons. De Quervain tenosynovitis was first described by Fritz de Quervain in 1895.
Patients with De Quervain tenosynovitis usually report pain when grasping or extending their thumbs. They often have difficulty with opening jars or turning doorknobs.
An injection of corticosteroid and lidocaine can be used to treat De Quervain tenosynovitis.
Erica N David, MD, FAAPMR Updated: Jun 23, 2009