“It’s just de Quervain’s tenosynovitis”

Abstract

A 48-year-old right-hand-dominant cleaner presented to her general practitioner with several months history of right wrist pain. There was no history of previous wrist trauma, and she did not have a history of inflammatory arthropathy. She neither drank nor smoked. An X-ray of the wrist was reported to be normal. A diagnosis of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis was made and she was treated with anti-inflammatory drugs and physiotherapy, and received an injection of corticosteroid. Six months’ later, the patient complained of worsening symptoms and was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. The patient reported wrist pain and a longstanding problem of a wrist that “clicked”, with deterioration of function over the preceding 12 months. In particular, she had difficulty with power movements of the wrist.