[Tendovaginitis stenosans of the thumb in small children (pollex flexus congenitus). The authors' results and review of the literature].

Our personal treatment concept for trigger thumb in children is presented. The guiding symptoms are fixed flexion deformity, (painful) restriction of motion (with a click phenomenon) or persistent extension deformity. Although it is a simple pathology, careful diagnosis is mandatory to rule out other reasons with the same symptoms as trigger thumb, as some of these will lead to severe aesthetic and functional impairment. In 26 patients with persistent symptoms, the A1 ring ligament of the thumb was cut. Free active and passive joint motion was comparable to the opposite side in 92.7% of patients. In 2 cases a secondary operation was necessary because of incomplete A1 ring ligament release. If it is diagnosed and operated on early with a careful operative technique, nowadays no aesthetic or functional impairment should occur in children because of trigger thumb.