How To Treat Boutonnière Deformity

Medications

Individuals who have a boutonnière deformity often complain of both swelling and pain. These are symptoms other treatment methods may not ease. Healthcare providers may choose to order drugs to target and reduce inflammation. Often, providers will use medications in tandem with other treatments such as splints and exercises. Injections of corticosteroids are common practice, as they are good at tackling swelling. Drugs may also be recommended for pain. If a healthcare provider places a patient on a drug regimen, the patient should be sure to take them only as directed. If patients are interested in adding to or changing their drug therapy, they must discuss it with their doctor first to ensure all drugs they take are safe based on their current health parameters.

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Surgery

The preferred treatment of a boutonnière deformity involves nonsurgical options, however, in severe cases, surgical intervention may be required. Injuries warranting such treatment include lacerations that penetrate the skin, severing of the tendon, displacement of large bone pieces, and complications resulting from advanced rheumatoid arthritis. By way of surgical means, damage to the tendons and joints of the finger can be repaired, thus reducing pain and improving functionality. This can be done many ways including cutting into damaged tendons, replacing part of a damaged tendon with a healthy one, and implementing wire or screws to straighten out the joints. Recovery can take up to three months, with limited use of the attached hand.

However, even with surgical intervention, the condition may not fully resolve, and the finger may never regain its original appearance. This is because the longer the finger has gone untreated, the more difficult it becomes to treat. Should all other treatments fail, a joint fusion may be considered, through which two surfaces of the joint are bound together relieving pain, increasing stability, and guarding against further deformity.

Continue reading to learn about the next strategy used when it comes to dealing with a boutonnière deformity.