Possible Complications

What to Expect

Call Your Doctor

En Español

Tenolysis

(Tendolysis)

Pronounced: teah-NAH-lah-sys

by Cynthia M. Johnson, MA

Definition

Tenolysis is surgery to remove adhesions from a tendon. Adhesions happens when scar tissue forms and binds tendons to tissue. It is most common on the hands and wrists.

Tendons in Finger

Reasons for Procedure

This is done on people who have had an injury or surgery that affected the tendon. It is done when other methods have not helped.

Possible Complications

Problems are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

A lot of bleeding
Problems from anesthesia, such as wheezing or sore throat
Infection
Blood clots
Pain and stiffness
Harm to nerves or other nearby structures
Ruptured tendon
Surgery does not help with motion
Amputation

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

Smoking
Drinking
Chronic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

The surgical team may meet with you to talk about:

Anesthesia options
Any allergies you may have
The medicines, herbs, and supplements that you take and whether you need to stop taking them before surgery
Fasting, such as avoiding food or drink after midnight the night before
Arranging a ride to and from surgery
Tests that will need to be done before surgery

Anesthesia

The doctor may give:

Local anesthesia—the area will be numbed
General anesthesia—you will be asleep

Description of the Procedure

An incision will be made. The tissue will be cut to release the tendon. The incision will be closed with stitches.

How Long Will It Take?

How long it takes depends on which tendon is affected and to what extent.

Will It Hurt?

Pain and swelling are common in the first 1 to 2 weeks. Medicine and home care can help.

Average Hospital Stay

You may be able to go home in 1 to 2 days. If you have problems, you may need to stay longer.

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

After the procedure, the staff may:

Give you pain medicines
Protect the area with a brace or splint

During your stay, staff will take steps to lower your chance of infection, such as:

Washing their hands
Wearing gloves or masks
Keeping your incisions covered

You can also lower your chance of infection by:

Washing your hands often and reminding visitors and staff to do the same
Reminding staff to wear gloves or masks
Not letting others touch your incisions

At Home

It will take a few weeks for the incision to heal. Physical activity will need to be limited during recovery. You will need to ask for help with daily activities and delay your return to work.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
Redness, swelling, more pain, a lot of bleeding, or any leaking from the incision
Pain that you cannot control with medicine
Numbness or tingling
New or worsening symptoms

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

RESOURCES:

American Society for Surgery of the Hand
http://assh.org

Ortho Info—American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://orthoinfo.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The Canadian Orthopaedic Association
http://coa-aco.org

Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation
http://canorth.org

References:

Giugale JM, Fowler JR. Trigger Finger: Adult and Pediatric Treatment Strategies. Orthop Clin North Am. 2015 Oct;46(4):561-569.

Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis) in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dyname.... Updated July 26, 2019. Accessed July 17, 2020.

Last reviewed March 2020 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Warren A. Bodine, DO, CAQSM
Last Updated: 3/31/2021

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