Local Corticosteroid Injection Versus Open Surgical Release in De Quervain Tenosynovitis: A Single-Center Study

This quasi-experimental study compared pain outcomes following local corticosteroid injection (CSI) versus open surgical release in 100 patients with clinically confirmed De Quervain tenosynovitis unresponsive to conservative management. Patients were allocated to treatment based on clinician judgment and patient preference. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at baseline, one month, and six months post-intervention. The study was conducted at a single tertiary care centre in Rawalpindi, Pakistan between March 2023 and April 2025.

Inclusion Criteria: * Clinical diagnosis of De Quervain tenosynovitis confirmed by positive Finkelstein test * Age 18-70 years * Pain sufficiently severe to impair activities of daily living * Failure to respond to at least 4 weeks of conservative management Exclusion Criteria: * Concurrent inflammatory arthropathy (rheumatoid arthritis or gout) * History of prior wrist injury * Previous surgical or injection treatment for De Quervain tenosynovitis * Coexisting upper limb pathology (rotator cuff pathology, epicondylitis, or carpal tunnel syndrome)