From the Research
There is no established direct link between heart catheterizations and trigger finger. Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis) is primarily caused by inflammation and narrowing of the tendon sheath in the fingers, typically resulting from repetitive gripping motions, certain medical conditions like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis, or age-related changes 1. Heart catheterizations involve inserting a thin tube through blood vessels to the heart for diagnostic or treatment purposes, usually accessing vessels in the groin or wrist area, not affecting the finger tendons.
While any medical procedure carries some risk of complications, trigger finger is not a recognized complication of cardiac catheterization. If you develop finger stiffness, clicking, or locking after a heart catheterization, it's likely coincidental and should be evaluated separately by your healthcare provider. Treatment for trigger finger typically includes rest, splinting, anti-inflammatory medications, steroid injections, or in severe cases, surgery to release the tendon sheath. Recent studies have explored various treatment options for trigger finger, including physical therapies such as external shock wave therapy (ESWT) and ultrasound therapy (UST) 2, as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 3. However, these studies do not establish a link between heart catheterizations and trigger finger.
Some studies have investigated the relationship between trigger finger and other medical conditions, such as diabetes 4, or other surgical procedures, such as carpal tunnel release 5. However, these studies do not provide evidence of a direct link between heart catheterizations and trigger finger. In summary, based on the current evidence, there is no established direct link between heart catheterizations and trigger finger, and any symptoms of trigger finger after a heart catheterization should be evaluated and treated separately.